I spent a good part of Saturday in Selly Oak Park, at the Selly Oak Festival. It was time well spent; it’s good to be outdoors, away from my computer and books, talking face to face with lots of interesting people. There was a dog show with categories for things such as the waggiest tail, a falconry display, vintage motorcycles, food and football. The outdoor gym was officially opened and various community fitness taster sessions were on offer. I had a go at Tai Chi but I did not try the unicycle, hula hoop or anything else in the circus skills workshop.
The football was an under-11 tournament, played on a pitch with a far from level playing surface and muddy indentations by the goals. It’s a pity that so little of the money sloshing around at the top tiers of football trickles down to the grassroots level. Every great footballer starts out as a small kid kicking a ball around. If we want to build a good England team that can make it into the last 16 of a World Cup, it would be wise to invest in good all-weather facilities in all of our communities and not just at the National Football Centre.
Agreed Puddleglum mate but greed and vested interests will make absolutely sure that things will stay exactly the way they are.