People need spaces to

pursue their interests. There are few people who would disagree with this but it has become even more obvious to me over the past few days.

The Senior Cat left a large shed full of machines and timber and the things that go with "making stuff from wood". My brother was bequeathed the machinery. He took what he could use and what timber he could use. A young nephew-by-marriage of Middle Cat took the other machinery and some more of the timber. The priest at the local church, encouraged by the Senior Cat, took up woodwork as a hobby and he took more timber. There were also screws and "biscuits" and glue, paint, tools and the like. Much of it has gone.

But there is still timber in the rafters and along the shelves at the side. It would make wonderful toys. The "Toymendous" group would like to have it. This group makes toys, lots of toys, for charity. They make very, very good toys and they always need timber. Middle Cat called them. They have nowhere to store the timber, indeed nowhere to go themselves. Their current location has to be vacated by October.

I have a valuable collection of craft books. I will not have room where I go and I offered them to a local group. I did not get a response to either email which was strange - and discourteous. It is a group I know well enough to know they could use the collection. Yesterday I phoned and was curtly informed they had discussed the matter and did not want the books. They have "no room" for them. I was not even thanked. Perhaps they were embarrassed at having to turn down something of value to their members?

Groups like this need spaces. They need room, permanent room. We spend millions of dollars each year on sporting facilities. Many of them have "club rooms" built with funding from government. Sport is considered to be a good thing, something that brings people together in an active and healthy way. Ask the government to support an equally important activity that brings people together, supports mental health, gets people out and involved and there is "no money". 

It is time to rethink our priorities when it comes to people. We need to stop assuming that everyone is interested in and capable of playing sport or that, at very least, they want to watch it. It is time to get people involved in other activities as well.