ARCHIVED news story
It’s up, up and away for children’s play
Released on 02 August 2007
Youngsters who have good quality spaces in which to interact with their peers, facilities that stimulate informal play and opportunities to experience risk and challenge, are less likely to engage in anti-social behaviour.
Cllr Margaret Dewsbury, South Norfolk Young Peoples Champion
South Norfolk Council has just celebrated the launch of a Play Strategy for the area's children and young people which it hopes will secure £200,000 of Big Lottery funding.
The strategy is a manifesto for fun for South Norfolk's youngsters and aims to get them out of doors and enjoying more of their free time playing in the natural environment.
The launch event, which took place on Wednesday 1 August at the Ullswater Drive play area in Hethersett, just South of Norwich, was linked to National Play Day and entitled “A morning of traditional street play”. South Norfolk Council Leisure, Culture & Countryside staff were on hand to provide a wealth of fun traditional outdoor games for the 124 children and their carers attending.
A celebratory cloud of blue balloons was set free at 11.00am. This was as a gesture of the Council's commitment to raise the profile of play.
Cllr Margaret Dewsbury, South Norfolk Young Peoples Champion said:
“Great fun was had by all who attended.
“National Play Day is set to become a firm fixture in the South Norfolk event calendar.
The Play Strategy also has a serious purpose. Key to the strategy for improving, creating and developing free local play spaces will be the Big Lottery. On offer - £200,000, ring-fenced for South Norfolk.
Cllr Dewsbury is confident the strategy is a lottery winner, and will also mark the beginning of a new era for the district's children and young people.
She added:
"Strategies such as this also benefit society in general, as well as the local area for years to come.
"Youngsters who have good quality spaces in which to interact with their peers, facilities that stimulate informal play and opportunities to experience risk and challenge, are less likely to engage in anti-social behaviour."
The launch event was part of National Play Day and as such was themed to celebrate "Traditional street play" this year. Information about other leisure and countryside events within the district was also made available.
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