From the Mouths Of Babes........

I’m currently swarming!

For those of you who haven’t been able to follow me on here or on Facebook, S’Warm is a huge cast happening being created by The National Youth Theatre and which takes place over five days starting this Wednesday at Battersea Power Station and ending next Sunday in Canada Square.

It has five directors, one overall director and god knows how many people working on it. It is rehearsing open air in Battersea Park and at times it’s hell. I arrive home exhausted, drained and quite often demoralised. It’s frustrating and infuriating. Without going into the why and wherefore, it’s the sort of thing that brings out the dark side of my heart. I have twice thought of leaving

And yet.....in my core cast are the 74 young people for whom I am responsible. They listen to me, they work hard for me and they show me what is possible. They have helped me learn new street slang. They give of themselves without question, and they show me the way. Education is so often a two way process. I am learning as much from them as they from me and it’s how it should be.

They don’t know they are teaching me, and yet, while they fret over what A level results they will get this Thursday morning having hopefully ticked the right boxes, they are demonstrating that the future is full of hope. Youth, so often lumped together and despised as one, are an investment. One it pays us all to put money into. Or Time. We should treat them as individuals. People say to me “You don’t like children’ and I can honestly reply “I don’t” Not as a whole genre,but as individuals there are many children I find refreshing, enlightening and absolutely wonderful to be in the company of

We have just had Richard’s nephew Marcus staying with us for the weekend. His first time away from home on his own. As polite and pleasant a young man as it is possible to find. He listens, he watches and he absorbs. As indeed so many young people do. And they watch us to learn from us.

In the swarm camp sometimes I’ve bitten my lip, sometimes I haven’t and expressed myself volubly. Both are valuable lessons that people can learn from. That is how they should be seen.

It’s ok growing old and irascible...and each day it looks like a more and more attractive proposition, but we should be always remember that our actions do not stand in isolation. They are marked by those who look up to us, and it is from our behaviour that they learn.

From the squabbling politicians who are out for self aggrandisement....Yes, Mr Blair's book is out next month...from the mindless brainless celebrities and footballers who think that feuding and drinking and fighting ones way into the spotlight is the way forward, to the generation who think that because they fought in a war we should all revere them without question. All of us are responsible for the future. Not by action alone, but in leading by example and setting codes of behaviour that young people can admire and emulate.

Bit of a rant there. That’s the Victor Meldrew coming out. But on Wednesday night when over 500 people step into the evening sunshine and floodlights at Battersea, they will be showing the way too. Making a step forward into the future more positive than government policies and patronising education systems.

All power to each and every one of them.