Friday, March 16, 2007

They are inheriting it. Maybe we should let them save it as well.


Caption:

Me presenting the prizes donated by the local Warhammer shop to the winners, along with a special award from Junkk.com to the young initiative initiator, an antique brass caliper.




Today is Comic Relief day.

So far, so media frenzied.

Frankly, I can take or leave scores of 'celebrities' - some of whom are doubtless sincere, but most of whom have either been told to do it by their bosses or agents, or need to do it to boost flagging careers - mugging to the camera to get the sofa-set to part with cash by phone. I'm sure after the last few weeks it's is all crystal clear and above board, but I'm prepared to bet there are still some admin and handling charges in there.

Meanwhile, in sleepy Ross on Wye, a few days ago a small boy had an idea. And frankly I reckon he has put the whole adult population, from self-centred celebs to sparring pols, to shame.

Because he set up a simple little competition between his mates.

They are all mad for Warhammer, which seems to be a brilliant way to get parents to pay for a 1" character what we used to get in the entire Airfix D-Day recreation set.

Lots and lots of plastic doo-dads which get snapped off and stuck together and painted and played with in strategy games.

And young Dexter's idea was to see who could make the most, and whackiest, creations out of the bits that are left behind in the moulding process (best name heard to date: sprue. But in may be spurl, or Trevor for all I know). One hour, at £1 a character.

My boys made nine. Each. So thanks to this little boy I am now shy £18. Worth every darn penny.

I got wind of it in advance, and for obvious reasons also got quite excited about the notion that kids were doing something a) productive, b) creative, c) worthy and d) fun with reuse. So I flashed around and got the local Warhammer store to sponsor some prizes, which were judged by a panel of proud Dads (not knowing what creation was made by which son).

I'm presenting them tonight. And then I am going to see what I can do to let the Warhammer guys know about it, the media and anyone else who will listen. Because this is worth building upon.

While others talk, these kids just got on and acted for themselves. And had a ball doing it.

Save the children. Save the planet. By and for the children. No adult egos or agendas to be found.

And that... is what it's all about.

Guardian - Last night's TV: Comic Relief does the Apprentice
Telegraph - Priceless gains from spending nothing
Guardian - Comic Relief/The Bits That Aren't Fame Academy: Live
BBC - Comic Relief appeal raises £40.2m

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Brilliant ... please pass my congrats onto the kids too. Action, achievement and success, all without any government or quango intervention, and no flying to Bali to discuss it with the great and the good first!!!
Try to get Warhammer to do it nationally!