[woodcote]

Kevan’s post is a powerful reminder of just how tough life can be and how a hobby can be so important to keep us connected to those good feelings we have about ourselves. I know how important playing with toy cars is for my own mental health - and for many adults and young people I’ve met over the years.

Given all the positives to our mental health and self-esteem, why on earth do a small minority of people use the hobby to mock, bully and attack fellow hobbyists? It’s a crazy situation when the evidence is out there that people use these pastimes to escape from conflict and create a safe, creative space. Be kind.

If you want to dig deeper than the Hornby article, there has been a huge amount of research done in recent years looking at the importance of play for adults - and this is a good summary: https://nifplay.org/play-note/adult-play/

Much as I enjoy admiring people’s real-life wheels, I think Dr Freud would be most amused that a thread about mental health and self-esteem has turned into a sharing of muscle car pics 

However, here’s my Italian stallion for comparison…