Mayor’s Musings: Our kids have not changed, the world has

Loch Neaton in Watton. Picture by: Matthew Usher. (Image: Archant © 201101603 772434)

This will be my penultimate mayor's musings, as after the election, should I still be elected to council, I will be handing the chain of office to the next chosen mayor.

Council is committed to youth provision and is working on many ideas to help facilitate a brighter future for our youth.

It is my hope that we will have the support of the town to help maintain and work with us on these projects, after all, the youth are the towns new generation, and as one young girl recently said to me, they want this town to be somewhere they want their children to live.

It puts things into perspective when you see the lack of facilities through the eyes of the youth.

It is the reason why we sometimes see them hanging around, it is purely because they have nothing to do.

I know some people will say there was never anything when we were young and we made fun out of nothing, but and it's a big but, today there are just way too many rules and regulations and cutbacks that quite literally wipes off the list of the things that we used to do, i.e. swim in the river, play out on our bikes, discos etc. our world has changed, and not always for the better.

I was gratified when I went on a recent trip to see some skate parks with a group of great kids, who really enlightened me, in that basically they have not changed, the world has.

While we are spending time addressing the lack of facilities, I feel we have to also recognise the vast array of good points that we have here in Watton and I am still staggered by the great community that we have here, the enormous amount of groups for the older generation, there is in fact many things to do from knitting clubs to memory cafes, sports facilities, and now also the amazing parkrun that has just started, every Saturday from 9am.

There really is something for everyone. I must say the parkrun was a revelation to me as I didn't realise what a great community it encourages.

You can do it from walking jogging or running, its down at the loch and then runs around the sports field, it is a great way to get out and about and to see what amazing countryside we have here in Watton.

When you've finished, grab a bacon sarnie and a coffee at the sporty or have a picnic at the loch.

Don't forget to come and see me on my market stall every other Wednesday, next one is 13th march then 27th then 10th and then my last one will be 24th April.