Community spirit

This week I was alternately ashamed and proud to be English as the riots tore through our town centres wrecking lives. Then, when I saw the communities pulling together - standing strong and saying "enough", and arriving in their hundreds with brooms and bin bags to help clear up, it got me in the gut.

It doesn't take much to pull together to achieve something special and nor does it have to be a monumental undertaking or achievement. Today my son and I went to the park. We ventured into the wooded area to see if the old 'den' was still there. Inevitably, since our last visit, someone had destroyed it. A pile of logs and sticks were all that remained.

We resolved to rebuild. A couple of little kids joined us. I taught them the rudiments of building a structure out of wood, trees and logs, with a quick lecture on health & safety on the side (I've watched a lot of Ray Mears!). My son said he'd get help and promptly rounded up every kid in the park. Before I knew it I had at least fifteen kids of all ages forming a construction crew being happily bossed about by my offspring.

One team went off for supplies and soon more building material was dragged through the trees - strong timbers for the main structure, dried brush for roofing and lots of stick for building the walls. Heavy logs formed seats. More children joined the crew. Occasionally a curious parent checked in too.

We pulled together. We organised. We rebuilt. We're made from stern stuff us Brits. Today a bunch of kids brought together by a common cause reminded me of that fact.

Image is of the actual den - a little PhotoShop round the edges helps draw the eye into the focal point.  Cool eh? I don't think I'd want to spend the night there, or indeed shelter from a storm, but if you've got a healthy dose of childhood imagination it can be anything you want.