Hi, I was born on the 12th of January 1957 into an average-sized family in an average sized town called BOLTON-ON-DEARNE, SOUTH YORKSHIRE, wrote David Hawkins.

My mother was a housewife and my father a welder at the local colliery. I had two sisters much older than myself who, incidentally, chose my first and second names (thanks a bunch) !

My early childhood recollections are of home as a happy place, a garden to play in, family always around, and my father making models and such out of wood. (I have inherited that by the way.) He once brought some moulds home from work and we made lead soldiers of the Coldstream Guards.

I liked nothing better than going over the local farmer's fields bird nesting or fishing for sticklebacks in the stream. We would often carve our names into the bark of trees. I have often thought of returning to see if they are still there.

There was never any fear of child molestation nor crime, and the word drugs was never even heard of. Alas, times change and not always for the better?

Walking over the fields today as a man (that is where I am allowed to walk these days without signs reading KEEP OUT, PRIVATE PROPERTY, TRESSPASSERS WILL BE HUNG DRAWN AND QUARTERED I often wonder what has happened to the countryside.

What about the sights and sounds, the birds and insects, the wild flowers and butterflies. Where have they gone ? All the things I knew so well as a boy!!

David Hawkins, Conisbrough, 2001