Free play activities for children and young people in
Northumberland
Northumberland has been allocated funding through
the Big Lottery Children's Play Initiative to create, improve
and develop children and young people’s free local play spaces.
Supervised, open access play opportunities are available in
locations across the County.
Qualified play staff supervise sessions in parks and open spaces
around Northumberland. For more information please click on the
links below.
Playbuilder
Programme
Northumberland County Council has successfully
secured £1,114,718 from the governments Playbuilder Programme for
the development of 25 play areas, for 8-13 year olds, across the
county over the next three years.
The new funding will be used to develop new
play areas to provide greater access to high quality play sites for
all children in Northumberland. This will ensure parents have
greater confidence to encourage children to play independently and
take risks in a safe, stimulating environment. The focus for the
new developments will be on providing natural play spaces that make
use of the natural elements, and build in opportunities to
experience risk and challenge.
The sites can be a combination of new and
refurbished play areas and will be selected through an open bidding
process that will aim to ensure long term sustainable change for
children's play. Bids will be welcomed from Third Sector
organisations. All proposals, including those from community and
voluntary organisations, must have the endorsement of the
District/Borough play partnerships and demonstrate how they fit
into the Play Strategy Audits.
Year 1 Projects April 2008 - March 2009
Successful projects are:
- OPEN4FUN, Allendale
- Langley Gardens, Haydon Bridge
- Seaton Sluice Boulder Park
- Fairy Hill, Newbiggin-by-the –Sea
- Harbottle
- Branxton
- Seahouses
- Wooler
- Millfield
- Beadnell
Applications for year 1 funding are now
complete.
Year 2 Projects April 2009 - March 2010
Successful Projects are:
- Woodland Play, Cockshot Dene, Prudhoe
- Prudhoe West 1st School
- Stanegate Steps, Newbrough
- Shireplay, Hexham
- South Beach Play Area, Blyth
- Longhoughton Natural Play
- Pond Field Play Area, Hipsburn
- Let's Play, Felton
- Bamburgh Play Area
- Ponteland Play Area
Applications for year 2 funding are now
closed.
Year 3 Projects April 2010 - March
2011
Year 3 Projects that have successfully
achieved funding:
- Acklington Play Space
- Lowick Play Park
- Beaconhill Play Space
- Kirkley Hall Climbing Forest
- Pegswood Leisure and Youth
- Falstone Community Play Park
- King George Vl Playing Fields,
Longframlington
- Ovingham Playing Field
- Newfields Village Green, Berwick
- Wild Play Northumberland
- Shilbottle Grange Adventure Play
- Horncliffe Playground
- Lynemouth Creative Space
If you require any further information on the
Playbuilder Programme contact:
Chris Affleck
Play Development Co-ordinator
Culture, Leisure and Tourism
Northumberland County Council
Prospect House
Hexham
NE46 3NH
Telephone: 01434 652388 Email: chris.affleck@northumberland.gov.uk
Other useful links
Play England
National Play Strategy
Design for Play: A guide to creating successful play spaces
Managing Risk in Play Provision
