Preserve outdoor spaces for young people and watch them flourish - Ismail Mulla
The other day I was walking through the industrial estate on our doorstep and saw a sight that particularly warmed the heart. Beside the canal were a couple of young teenagers, probably no older than 14 with a fishing rod between them.
They weren’t serious anglers by any stretch of the imagination and were bedecked in tracksuits that are popular with children of that age. What struck me was the peace and serenity that they took solace in, between the rumbling of lorries on the road adjacent to the canal.
Instead of being stuck indoors, in front of a screen, seeking validation from strangers who could not care a jot about them, these boys were living in the real world. From the quacks of the ducks to the fluttering of the pigeons up above, this was real life and they were experiencing it first-hand.
On the surface, this may seem like an anodyne event. But we have become so infatuated with living our lives elsewhere that we forget what’s on our doorstep. It’s a problem that is particularly acute amongst younger generations, who are increasingly spending their time cooped up indoors.
Social media is a boil on the backside of society. What once promised to keep everyone connected at all times has made us distant from one another.
More than half of primary age children in England are failing to meet daily activity levels, according to experts, with the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) outlining that screen time is increasingly replacing play and sport.
But it’s not just screens that are the problem. Lack of access to public spaces is also an issue. Playing fields are being sold off. Leisure centres are being shut or taken over by private gyms who are only interested in the bottom line.
No wonder there are major concerns when it comes to child inactivity. While the CSJ argues physical activity must become a "core part" of the education system, rather than an optional extra, to combat this, I think it needs a societal response.
That starts with protecting our green spaces, waterways and walking trails. For those growing up in urban areas, these places are a vital lifeline. No matter what their age.
We often overlook the importance of being near waterways. The Canal & River Trust does a great job of maintaining this network. If the Calder and Hebble Navigation didn’t meander through our neighbourhood, then those young boys and many others who use the canal to get outdoors would be deprived of a valuable asset.
A few weeks ago I was at the park for some much needed exercise. As I walked around the lake, I saw an elderly gentleman quietly playing with his remote controlled model boat. It got me thinking, that could well be his release from the daily stresses of life.
That is why we must not take being close to waterways for granted. And I suspect that is why so many people were so upset with the recent spike in water pollution inflicted upon the region.
When it comes to children’s health, there is a clear necessity to not only keep places that they can enjoy some fresh air accessible, but also to get them away from screens.
More than 6,000 severely obese children in England seeking help from specialist weight management clinics in just three years, including more than 400 under the age of four, is an alarming statistic.
I remember a time when a football on a field would not be left to sit for even a few minutes, come rain or shine. With boys of all shapes and sizes chasing after it. And there would be the patter of girls playing hopscotch or games of tig on the tarmac at parks.
As children, we would fashion cricket stumps out of wheelie bins and abandoned milk crates.
That’s because we had no other distractions. Unfortunately, the world has changed and the importance of space for young people cannot be underestimated.
On another day I was walking along the same route that I saw our young fishermen and saw another unwelcome trend. Youths on noisy electric scooters, barrelling down the pavement and road with their faces covered. Why are parents allowing their children to put themselves and others in harm's way I will never understand in the first place. But the fact that children in balaclavas are causing a menace and there is no law enforcement to put an end to this anti-social behaviour sets a dangerous precedent.
To mangle that well worn cliche, give a boy an electric scooter and a balaclava, he’ll cause panic in the streets. Give a boy a fishing rod and he may just find peace.