Social problems

My sister sent us out of my flat so she could use the bathroom in peace. The ever-present drug dealers approached us and slurred, 'hiya mate can I use your phone I'm waitin' for a mate'. We weren't particularly in the mood to facilitate a drug deal.

I took Catherine and Matthew punting as a classic quaint Cambridge activity, shying away from the self-punt option as navigating the crowded waterway is hazardous when it's sunny and busy. We opted for the first company that touted us, with a fleet of strapping plummy lads ready to glide punters down the river, pointing out useful facts.

Others should have taken the guided option if the numbers of shaky legs and river jackknifing incidents are good indicators. Snatches of conversation were overheard: 'I told you not to do it yourself.'

My sister wanted to follow the royal wedding, but I don't have a TV so it was best done outside via our phones with copious amounts of picnic food, enjoying the unexpectedly good weather.

Catherine was surprised at the amount of begging and homelessness in Cambridge but she did use her medical training as a nurse to assist one of the people who approached us and our picnic haul. 'Excuse me, can you spare any change, I'm diabetic and I've had a crash. I really need some cash.'

'How does that help with diabetes? Have some sausage rolls.' He ate them there, which was great, as I am constantly in two minds about how to respond to beggars. As there seems to be a huge correlation between homelessness and drug addiction, I don't want to be responsible for giving cash that is used in drug deals, but people say it is disempowering to deprive someone of that choice of how to spend it if you have decided to give something. Later another sausage roll recipient carefully unpacked his backpack and stashed them at the bottom, hopefully as an emergency food reserve.

It's incredibly sad to see such an epidemic of homelessness, but what truly plunged the mind into despair was an incident on the way back to mine. I shouted after a group of teenage girls who were fizzing cans up and leaving them as litter. One refused to accept responsibility and couldn't have been more obnoxious and aggressive if she'd tried, and sadly I don't think she was trying; simply reacting as she's been conditioned to do.

It escalated as I am not good at keeping cool in such situations, yet I had the moral high-ground as if someone calls you out for littering, normally you should just accept your error and pick it up. Not threaten to stab me, as she said she would have done if she'd had a knife. She also invited me to meet her there the following day at 5pm during which time her dad would 'stab and shoot' me. It's not possible to rationalise with someone whose default is so violent.

When I said I was not going to waste my day arguing with a bunch of teenagers, she responded 'I'm not even a teenager, I'm 11.' And there we have an absolutely damning account of aspects of British society in 2018.

And if anyone was ever in any doubt that Cambridge faces the same social problems as other places that appear to be more deprived, this should smash that image. I felt overwhelming pity for how that girl's life is going to turn out if she cannot control her attitude and emotions better.