There was one of those e-mails

yesterday. It was actually addressed to the Senior Cat but I get any e-mails for him. He refuses to learn to use e-mail and nothing I can do will persuade him.
So, there is the e-mail. It is a plea for help of course. This time it is not financial help but actual help. They want knitters. They want knitters to teach teen girls at one of the local schools. The idea is that they will learn to knit and knit a square which will be put with other squares to make a blanket for a homeless person. Right.
I mentioned this to the Whirlwind when she appeared after school. My day had been chaotic. There had been frantic phone calls from the hospital with respect to friend who is currently in there with messages about drips and scans and pain relief and please to contact the pulmonary specialist etc. I had also pedalled down to the hospital after lunch - and fitted in my own day's work in around it all.
The Whirlwind looked at me and then said firmly, "You are NOT getting involved." No, I won't although I would normally grab the chance to teach someone to knit.
There might be other people though. I will inquire at the meeting today and next Saturday the group meets at the library. It is just across the road from the school in question.
All that brought up the business of a police clearance. Everyone who works in a school now needs a police clearance. Nobody will be able to volunteer in a school without one. Fair enough - although a mere police clearance will not solve the issues of paedophilia or sexual abuse and harassment in schools.
But, that is the school. The girls who want to learn to knit could also come to the library next weekend and get a lesson from the same people who might volunteer at the school. At the library there is no need for a police clearance. People just come to the group.
I have no qualms at all about girls mixing with any current member of the library group but it makes me aware that different rules still apply for different circumstances.
It is almost impossible to legislate for all circumstances. That we need to legislate at all seems wrong. I wonder just how much difference it really makes. I hope it does make a difference or people are going to cease offering to help - or pay for the police clearance to do it.