Funding for Play

Richmondshire District Council together with the Play Partnership has developed a Play Strategy to identify how children's play opportunities can be improved. This strategy formed the basis of an application to the Big Lottery to develop and enhance play across the District.

Our application to the Big Lottery has successfully raised funding for the following projects:

Official Opening Hipswell Habitat Play Trail: Natural Play The Army Welfare Service: 'Children from Wavell Junior School took great delight in taking part of the Official Opening of the Hipswell Habitat Play Trail in November 2008 by the Garrison Commander Col NCT Millen and Councillor Rob Johnston Chair of Richmondshire District Council. An excellent piece of partnership work involving the Garrison, Army Welfare Service, Richmondshire District Council, Richmondshire Play Partnership, Wavell Junior School, 1 LANCS, 3 CS Med Regt, Carillion Enterprise and the Volunteers Hipswell Habitat, which has brought much joy to the lives of children.

The Play Trail includes a Story Tellers Chair and Seated Areas, Wave Bridge, Turtle Drum, Dragonfly and Glockenspiel in an area surrounded by fauna, flora and an abundance of wildlife; a place for children to enjoy and their imaginations to thrive!' Janet Reeve AWS

Natural Play. The Army Welfare Service used their Big Lottery allocation to develop a new natural play area at Hipswell Habitat. Natural play spaces such as willow tunnels and sensory trails were created to enhance the outdoor play experience. This will be the first natural play site in Richmondshire and it is hoped that it will become an example of best practise that will be an inspiration to play providers in the District.

Play Ranger service. This will operate in partnership with Hambleton District Council and will provide mobile play provision to rural areas for children aged 5-10. Activities will be targeted at localities where there is a lack of play provision.

4Youth Outreach Provision. Big Lottery money will be used to extend this existing service to more villages and open spaces. This service is targeted at young people aged 11-16. This project together with the Play Ranger service will ensure enhanced play provision for children and young people in rural areas.

MiddlehamSkate Park. A redundant play area (next to the old tennis courts in Middleham) was used to create a new skate park for young people. This is now fully operational and an official launch is planned in the new year (2011).

New Fixed Play Equipment. North Cowton, Harmby and Leyburn all applied for new play equipment for their play areas to enable a wider age range to enjoy their play facilities. These have been successfully completed and are now in use by local children.

Stay and Play. This project will be managed by the Sure Start Children’s Centre Manager. It will offer a ten week, one and half hours ‘drop in’ for children and their parents/carers enabling them to play together under the guidance of two workers with play and child development expertise. The project will operate in three different localities; Catterick Garrision/ Colburn, Wensleydale and the two dales of Swaledale and Arkengarthdale.

All for Fun, Fun for All. This project is based at Askrigg in the Upper Dales area. Big Lottery money was used to purchase play equipment for local children and included a 15' trampoline, bouncy castle, softplay equipment for the under 5's and giant outdoor games. The equipment is used for an annual Fun Day in July, weekly softplay sessions and is also available for other care providers and community groups to use.

Playbuilder funding programme 2009-2011

Better play spaces for North Yorkshire

In April 2009 North Yorkshire County Council and the North Yorkshire Play Partnership was successfully awarded £1.13 million pounds as part of the national Playbuilder scheme funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families to develop 22 play areas, primarily for the 8-13 age group over 2 years.

What does this mean for Richmondshire?

Richmondshire was successful in receiving funding for five new play areas: Preston-under-Scar near Leyburn, Piper Hill in Colburn, Coronation Park in Catterick, Catterick Village and Scotton. Please watch this space for updates on the projects as they progress.

For information on the Playbuilder grants programme please contact Jo-Anne Simpson, Richmondshire Play Partnership, Email jo-anne.simpson@richmondshire.gov.uk marked Playbuilder or Tel. 01748 827182.

Play Ranger Scheme for Summer 2011