Where Can Our Children Go? A Call For More Youth Activities In Havering.

As parents across Havering head to work over the Easter holidays, countless children are being left to their own devices—literally and figuratively—with little to no access to meaningful activities or safe spaces.

This week in Rainham, a group of children aged just 10 and 11 were spotted gathering wooden pallets near a block of flats. Concerned residents feared they were about to start a fire and called emergency services. But when firefighters arrived, the reality was very different—and incredibly heartwarming.

The children had built a den, proudly storing their footballs inside and excitedly showing off their handiwork.

“They weren’t causing harm,” one witness told the Havering Daily. “They were just being kids—doing what we all used to do back in the day.”

Firefighters, ever the community heroes, engaged with the children in the most positive way, making it a learning moment rather than a disciplinary one. The youngsters were thrilled to see the fire engine and chatted happily with the crew.

This moment of innocence and creativity highlights a much deeper issue.

Where can our children go? What is there for them to do—especially in working-class areas like Rainham and South Hornchurch?

We are quick to point fingers at the youth for rising knife crime and antisocial behaviour. But how often do we stop and ask: what are we actually doing to support our young people?

The truth is, many are being robbed of their childhoods—caught between working parents, the pressures of social media, and a lack of local opportunities. They don’t want to be troublemakers. Many just want a place to play football, to build dens, or simply to be seen and heard.

If we are truly committed to tackling knife crime and building safer communities, we must invest in our youth. That doesn’t just mean funding sports clubs and youth centres—it means listening to young people, engaging with them, and giving them a stake in their own futures.

This Easter, let’s remember: children need more than just supervision—they need support, space, and a sense of belonging.

And maybe, just maybe, it all starts with a den made of pallets and a football inside.

Thank you to our amazing firefighters who were fantastic yesterday and supported these children.

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