Invitation to Visit to Adventure Playgrounds in Wrexham

VISIT TO ADVENTURE PLAYGROUNDS IN NORTH WALES

Coach trip to visit 3 Adventure playgrounds in Wrexham, Tuesday 20^th May 2014

As part of an ongoing commitment to increasing, developing and sustaining quality play opportunities for all children and young people within Powys, you are cordially invited to join us on a visit to one of the most innovative, play friendly counties in Wales. We will be traveling, by coach, to Wrexham to meet the Local Authority Play Development Officer Mike Barclay and other key play staff members, and to visit three ground-breaking Adventure Playgrounds: The Venture which has been going for 30 years, Gwenfro which is smaller and established around 10 years ago, and The Land in Plas Madoc established last year. (Check out a videoforf The Land here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-24751534)

An adventure playground is a place where children can build dens or treehouses, make campfires, dig gardens, stage water fights, play in the mud and rain. It is a place that children should be able to call their own - where they can direct their own play, be spontaneous, loud, dirty, messy, silly, and where they can test themselves out against their environment and other people. Wrexham have fully embraced this philosophy and are exemplar at supporting each child’s right to play.

Each Adventure Playground is different and each one raises some interesting discussion points on different ways of providing for play, managing risk and tackling issues of health and safety. It is widely documented that areas with increased play opportunities benefit from a reduction in crimes rates, higher community morale and increased standards of physical health and emotional wellbeing.

The visit is an opportunity for members of the Powys community to see first-hand how this type of play provision is managed and the possibilities that can be created around diverse Open Access play.

This day is targeted towards:

Key Decision Makers

Trustees

Directors

Heads & Managers of: Children’s, Young People’s & families services

Adult focussed services
Health services

Housing

Transport & planning services

Environmental services

Commissioning

Quality & performance Advisers

Policy Makers

Children’s Centres

Community Centres & Village Halls

Youth Workers

Chief Executives

Heads of Policy

Schools

Tourism businesses

Criminal Justice

Sports Clubs

Fire officers

Police officers

Road Safety officers

Arts & Culture

Playworkers, Play Leaders and Childcare workers

Parents

and anyone with an interest in developing play areas.

• The Coach will leave Ysgol Trefonnen, Llandrindod Wells at 7.45am
• We will make a stop in Newtown Coach Station near Radio Harfen at approximately 8.30. Please let us know if you wish to get on the bus here
• 10.00-11.00 Arrive at The Venture and meet with Mike Barclay and Venture staff Millie or Jay
• 11.00-12.00 Travel a short distance across Wrexham to Gwenfro Valley to meet with Colin
• 12.00-1.00 Pub lunch and discussion with Wrexham staff members (We are, unfortunately, not able to include lunch in the day, please bring money for pub lunch or a packed lunch)
• 1.30-2.30 Travel to Plas Madoc (The Land) to meet with Claire

We would need to be out of the last setting by 3ish as that is when the children arrive and staff are busy. We will arrive back in Llandrindod at approximately 5.15pm

Please respond and confirm your attendance. Confirmation is needed sooner rather than later so we can confirm numbers with the coach company.

Kind regards

Ben Webb

Manager/Development Officer

Play Radnor

Play Radnor/Chwarae Maesyfed
Radnorshire Play Network/Rhwydaith Chwarae Sir Maesyfed
Ysgol Trefonnen
Llandrindod Wells
Powys
LD1 6DF
01597 827920
E-mail/E-Bost: admin @playradnor.org.uk
Registered Charity No./Elusen Gofrestredig Rhif - 1021896