Down by the Riverside …
Here is another initiative which shows a good way to capture boys’ imaginations and give them focus and values, outside the classroom. The Riverside Centre, the brainchild of musician Peter Searby, is a re-imagining of scouting, very much influenced by Lewis, Tolkien and other similar contributors to the imaginative landscape of children. They do a lot of theatre, as well as outdoor pursuits. It is essentially a middle class activity for middle class children. And that is great. Children in inner cities are in crisis, and it’s right that we should be addressing their problems, but middle class families also need support to bring up their sons in a wholesome way, especially in today’s society which does not necessarily support their efforts. There need to be programmes like this for all families, adapted to local circumstances.
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