Parents for Playgrounds
21 February 2011
According to research released by polling company ICM, 82% of parents in Northern Ireland are worried that the tradition of outdoor play is disappearing in this country.
The research, which questioned 1,000 parents all with children of a primary school age, also found that over three quarters of parents (82%) in Northern Ireland think that their child is happiest when playing outdoors, but that over half (59%) feel that their local playground is in desperate need of repair.
As a result of this research, a new campaigning group has been launched called ‘Parents for Playgrounds’ with a national mission that asks the UK’s parents to nominate a playground close to them that is in need of repair, to give it the chance of winning one of five renovation bursaries of up to £15,000. The campaign is backed by Playboard.
To nominate a playground in your area visit www.readyforten.com. Playground nominations can be made via the website from 15th February to the 16th of March 2011.
In Carrickfergus, the Council is carrying out an audit of both public and private child play and leisure facilities in the Borough and this month has organised its first meeting of the 'Carrickfergus Play & Leisure Partnership'. Membership of the partnership is from a range of local statutory, voluntary, community and private sector organisations, all of whom will have a role to play in improving play and leisure opportunities for children and young people in the Borough.
Experience drawn from the embedding of play strategies within England and Wales has highlighted that the creation of effective local play and leisure partnerships represents the most successful means of delivering effective strategic and operational outcomes over time.
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For further information please contact:
Stephen Daye, Parks & Countryside Development Officer
Telephone: 028 9335 8039
