Britain was once known across the world for courtesy, good manners, honesty and respect for self, one another, community and country. There are still people in The United Kingdom who believe in those values. However, others do not.

Have good manners and values gone missing? Not everywhere, they do exist and it would be nice to see more of them. There was a heart-warming news item over the Christmas holiday 2008, which made the national and international news. The 26th December is a public holiday in England. A hardware shop owner in Settle, North Yorkshire wanted to spend Boxing Day with his family and did not feel that he could ask his staff to interrupt their family Christmases, but at the same time did not wish to disappoint his customers. He opened the shop in the morning and went home to enjoy the day with his family leaving the shop open with a note to customers and an honesty box. When he came back, to shut the shop, at 4.50pm he found a hundred and eighty seven pounds and two euros (well over three hundred US dollars) and several notes from customers, thanking him, in the box and all his stock accounted for. Settle is a small country town where people know one another.

Perhaps it is because our communities have got too large. In small stable communities, standards of behaviour are better. In Villages in France, the youngsters hang round in the village but they cause no damage or inconvenience to anyone. In a small community, one might think it is because everyone knows everyone else and someone might tell their parents of any misbehavior but it is more than that. In France, people have strong ties to the family and communities are strong ties. Children help with whatever is happening in the community. At the many festivals and community celebrations, you will see tiny girls helping their mothers serve soft drinks or boys helping their fathers to set out chairs. At the remembrance services, the youngest boy and girl present lay a wreath, on behalf of the children of the village. French children are part of their communities from infancy and given and shown a responsibility to the community.

Young people in Britain have few good examples to use as role models. Many sports stars and celebrities seem to think that the rules do not apply to them. They should apply especially to anyone whom children admire. Sportsmen have a responsibility both on and off the field of play to set a good example because many of their fans are children and they watch and imitate their heroes. There have been many celebrities in the news recently who think they are above the law, they should not be treated leniently quite the reverse, “from those to whom much is given much is expected”. Children’s TV presenters found guilty of drugs offences for example should receive the highest sentences. Members of Parliament convicted of perjury should automatically receive the highest prison sentence available to the court. Those who make the law should not hold it in disrespect.

Old-fashioned values do still exist in Britain today but there are not enough of them. Our youngsters often feel that they do not belong to their communities. The culture of shouting about people’s rights forgot that people also have responsibilities to themselves, others and to their communities.