Provide and Enhance Local Play Areas

The information on this web page has been adapted from a factsheet provided by Groundwork East Durham

1. Introduction

Play enables children to learn about themselves and the world in which they live. As well as being fun, play is essential for children's physical, emotional and intellectual development and in developing their social and behavioural skills. About one third of a child's time is potentially available for play and recreation.
Play areas can act as a meeting point for children's parents and grandparents - 'taking the children' is a frequent explanation for trips to a park. They provide a local facility to help keep local people in their community. Well kept play areas reinforce messages of the importance of maintaining a pride in the area.

Through thoughtful design they can be exciting areas which enhance the environment. Play areas that incorporate the needs of older teenagers can help alleviate the problem of crime and fear of crime that spread from youths 'hanging around' on street corners with nothing to do. Above all play areas are fun.

2. Reason For Doing It

Provide local facility
Enhance environment
Provide play opportunities for children / youth
Restore pride in the community
Support child's physical, emotional and intellectual development
Promote family life

3. How To Undertake A Project

Gather information and support

Discuss amongst friends and potential users - think about forming a group and raising money locally.
Determine land ownership of existing site, or possible sites for new play area.
Assess suitability of site in safety terms. Is it over-looked, near a road etc.?
Look at play provision generally in the area. Will it be a honey-pot?
Determine who maintains the land/playground now and who would accept responsibility in the future for new equipment? Assessment of existing playground required. Has a ROSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) inspection been carried out within the last year?
Ask for help from local District and Parish Councillor
Talk to other groups who have achieved similar aims.
Approach organisations which can assist with funding applications or preparing designs.

Develop proposals/formalise group

Develop ideas:
- Your group could organise trips to other play areas in the region, eg. Riverside Park, Chester-Le-Street. Watch children at play and ask them what they enjoyed. Ask children and parents what kind of play equipment they want.
- Determine what age group(s) the play area would serve.
- Seek assistance from other organisations to help with design / consultation
Obtain professional help to formalise ideas into a design with a cost estimate. This can be used to bid for funding as well as giving the group an idea of the costs involved. May be useful to look at possible phasing if not all achievable in one go.
Consider an artist's involvement, possibly working with the community, particularly children. Explore Arts funding.
For funding applications the group will probably need a written constitution and possibly a formal agreement between the various parties i.e. the group, the landowner, the consultant etc. The District Council may be able to help you prepare this.
Identify sources of funding
Think of ways to raise money locally, coffee mornings, table top sales etc. This demonstrates the group's commitment to the idea.

Implementation

Confirm sources of funding
Engage Consultant to prepare detailed proposals and obtain competitive prices, or if the Council are preparing the scheme, ensure you are consulted on the final design.

4. Case Studies

Trimdon Grange

Trimdon Grange Play Area Association was formed in 1997 with the aim of developing a new play area in Trimdon Grange, a village with few recreation facilities for children. They have successfully drawn up a constitution and a formal agreement between involved parties, and made applications for funding with the help of Groundwork East Durham and Sedgefield Borough Council. Contact Maureen Marshall on Tel. 01429 881230

Fishburn

Talk to Kester Noble at Sedgefield Borough Council (Tel. 01388 816166) and to Fishburn Parish Council, who have useful information on funding and organisation etc.

Wheatley Hill

In two years Wheatley Hill Mothers Club raised over �12,000 through coffee days, raffles, a Santa's Grotto, sponsored walks, an Old fashioned Summer Fair, and a Charity Shop and support from local businesses and charitable trusts. In October 1998 they secured �50,000 from the National Lotteries Charities Board.
The play area is being built on the school playing fields on land leased form the County Council and is managed by a group of 8 trustees. A retired local architect has provided the design work. In addition to the Mother's Club 105 members, local governors, residents and children are all involved in developing the project. Contact Dorothy Peacock on 01429 820598.

5. Further Information

Contacts

1. Groundwork East Durham, Seaton Holme, Easington Village. Tel. 0191 5273333.

2. Groundwork West Durham, Bishop Auckland. Tel. 01388 662666

Both help with design, consultation and funding advice. Note Groundwork operate in specific target areas only.

3. Durham Rural Community Council, Park House, Station Road, Lanchester. Tel. 01207 529621

They have a funding advisor for small community groups and also send out a free newsletter with details of funding sources and training courses to people who live in County Durham. They can also help your group put together a constitution and basic accounts - some funders require that you supply these with an application.

4. Durham County Council, Economic Development Department. Tel. 0191 3864411

5. The District Council in your area

6. Funding Information North East (FINE) Tel. 0191 4771253

6. Possible Funding Sources

Funding Information North East publish a useful guide to local trusts called the North East Guide for Grantseekers, priced �10, and also have a library of fundraising information that voluntary groups can use by arrangement. Copies are available in libraries.

More details of potential funding sources can be found in the Seek funding for projects factsheet

What makes a good application?

Supply evidence of:

2. How do you know that the project is needed? Are there a number of children in your area who currently have nothing to do and nowhere to play safely?

3. Who will benefit? For a play area, it may be helpful to give a rough estimate of the number of children of the appropriate age who live near enough to use it.

4. Are there any similar facilities in the area - if so, how do you know there is a need for yours? Are the other facilities too far away / badly maintained / expensive to be useful for your group? If there are no facilities in the area, saying so will support your case to fund some.


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