the ‘new’ canal children
While I was spending time at the site, I met three boys who were bunking off school to practice Free Running in the area. It struck me as sad that, while these boys had the chance to get a good education, they had chosen not to use that chance. Compared to those children in the photographs from the canal museum, who, I’m sure would have jumped at the chance to go to school.
After talking to them I began to understand their passion for Free Running. They had taught themselves and it was something that they very much enjoyed and could be proud of. Unfortunately, while the sport is gaining popularity, it is not totally accepted because of reasons such as they (these boys) would, in an effort to explore the urban landscape, sometimes end up on private property or outside it and this had not been popular with the police/residents for obvious reasons.
