Dear Friends,
We are presently coming to the end of July. When coal production was at its peak, the last week of July and the first week of August – the first two full weeks of the school summer break – were known as ‘miners’ fortnight’ when the collieries and their related heavy industries would all shut down and all the workers would head for the coast for their annual holidays. As a family, we alternated between Boscombe one year and Shanklin the other. Over the years people’s habits changed, and together with the demise of coal mining and steel making, this meant that the popular seaside resorts themselves suffered a massive decline in business with the result that many of them were as empty in the summer as they were in the winter. It is to their credit that slowly but surely, they have begun to reinvent themselves and many of them are beginning to flourish again. This year they will be boosted by one of the many unintended consequences of the Covid pandemic – the so-called staycation. All the uncertainty surrounding foreign travel. The confusion with regard to which countries can be visited has meant that for many people, their only choice has been to ‘stay close to home’. It may well be that many people, who have grown accustomed to going all over the world, have suddenly discovered a whole new world on their proverbial doorstep…
…But this should not detract from the reality that for so many, even a staycation is no more than a pipedream. Even today there are large numbers of children living in our larger towns and cities who have never seen the sea. For them, the summer holidays are nothing more than a stay (at home) cation. And what is true for the children, is true for parents and carers too. Even the grown-ups deserve a holiday…
…But then the school holidays are six or seven weeks. That can seem like a life time for some families. So, I’m pleased that throughout the whole of the holiday our premises – church & hall – will be hosting a succession of summer playschemes. Already this week both buildings are full of very lively children. And even though we can’t run holiday clubs ourselves, we are pleased to be able to partner with established users to ensure that everyone who comes has a really good time…
…All of us, however we manage it, need to ensure that throughout the year we build into our otherwise busy schedules opportunities for rest, recovery, recuperation, refreshment, and recreation. ‘All work and no play makes Jill/Jack a dull girl/boy’ may seem like an overworked cliché, but it bears repeating. And while it is unlikely that any of us do eat ‘a Mars a day’, nevertheless the rhythm of life is sustained by the cycle of ‘work, rest and play’. Please enjoy the holiday, whatever that might mean for you. Please find time for yourself and your family to make the most of what is available. Go somewhere you’ve never been before; it’s likely you won’t have to go far. A good holiday is not necessarily defined in terms of travelling to some far away paradise. ‘Sun, sand and Sangria’ are not the essential ingredients of a good holiday. A good holiday, wherever it’s spent is one that does you good. Wherever you find yourself, please send a postcard…Do people still send postcards?