This is just wonderful!

Another issue for current kids is about where to actually go and play and be safe - motorists in built up areas still speed around, most of the council estates I see also have signs on the grass patches saying No Ball Games, the cost of doing things as well has gone up shed loads - our local lesiure centre used to have a morning 9am-1pm where you could use the facilities for £2 (no swimming pool though) so we could play footy on the fields, use the sports hall, play tennis etc

Also, all this protect the kids by using CRBs etc for any wanting to do anything and each one costing over £30 (you can't just have say one for everything, you would have to have one for each organisation you work for) a pop. Also I remember being 8-13 and where I grew up all the older kids as well would come around for a kick about, none of that ever happens these days - celebrity culture has ruined all of this

 

Used to always have a kick about when I was a nipper a few years ago, the problem with the area that's i've grown up in is that any available patch of field houses and flats are immediately built. They need to make parks with more football courts, they have always been a hit wherever i've seen them!

 

Any football courts near me have just become hangouts for gangs.

 

You're dead right the points you're making, but I can't make a commitment to join a club or gym so I try to incorporate more activity into my day, I used to cycle to work from North Shields to Jarrow, I don't cycle those distances now as I work closer to home and only cycle on reclaimed wasteland near where I live because I think it's safer. When I do the school run on a morning, I bet about 20% of the parents walk, the rest drive.
If you arrive at school at 8.50 the school yard is empty, school commences at 8.55, everybody seems to arrive at once. When I was at school, we would have about 15mins playing and fleeing around before school started.

 

Same here. No teachers were there then, so it was free-time.

 

Nowt to do with the A team I hope.

 

I always used to go to school early to have a kick about before lessons.

 

No. The A-team would be broken up now though. A new police directive in Colwyn Bay means they are legally allowed to break up groups of 2 or more people on the streets...