Play & Activity February 2023

Play is on the way to GroundsFest as API confirms support

GroundsFest is proud to announce a new strategic partnership with the Association of Play Industries (API), with the first event being held at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire on 20 and 21 September 2023.

The Association of Play Industries (API) is the lead trade association for the UK play sector. Its member companies are the UK’s leading providers of outdoor playground equipment; indoor play equipment and safety surfacing for schools, local authorities, parish councils, leisure attractions, holiday parks, housing developments, hospitality venues and commercial enterprises.

The API will have a dedicated stand at GroundsFest to promote membership services and many of its members will be exhibiting.

GroundsFest’s free educational seminar programme will also feature API-badged sessions.

As a result, GroundsFest will offer a one-stop shop for those involved in the selection, purchase, upkeep and replacement of play equipment and safer surfaces.

API Chair Mark Hardy, said: “We are looking forward to seeing how this new event will promote the play industry and in particular, provide an opportunity for API members to showcase their offerings.

“All API members abide by a strict professional Code of Conduct and are committed to value-for-money and longterm service and support. This exhibition will enable members to exhibit their products and

demonstrate the high-quality, innovative and fun ranges so typical of our members.

“GroundsFest has the potential to widen the buying audience for our members and to introduce visitors to the many benefits of choosing an API member for their play project.”

Commenting on the partnership, GroundsFest’s Sales Director

Charles Neale, said: “We are very excited and enthusiastic about the partnership between GroundsFest and the API.

“The play industry will form an integral part of the GroundsFest event profile in September 2023 and will give the play industry an ideal platform to promote its services and products to a highly relevant national audience of buyers and specifiers.

Two years of Uniting the Movement

(Covid-19) pandemic, Uniting the Movement is now primarily concerned with tackling the longstanding inequalities that make it much harder for some people to enjoy the benefits of being active than others.

GroundsFest really is uniting every corner of the groundscare industry,” continued Charles.

“The GroundsFest team is working hard on all aspects of the industry – from turfcare to commercial vehicles – by providing added impetus and innovation as we go forward.”

GroundsFest

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The latest sector news and case studies Page 13

Huck’s products catch the eye

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It has been two years since Sport England launched the ambitious 10-year Uniting the Movement strategy that aims to transform lives and communities through sport and physical activity.

The result of a major consultation with partners and the wider sport and physical activity sector, the new strategy represented

a significant change in the way Sport England works and reflected a new understanding of what its role could and should be in helping people to engage with activity.

Initially focussed on helping grassroots sports clubs and physical activity providers recover from the effects of the coronavirus

Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England’s chief executive, said: “We could not have produced such an ambitious and transformational strategy without the involvement of the entire sector, and we won’t be able to succeed in our long-term aims without everyone involved in sport and physical activity in England playing their part. It’s clear there’s a shared and genuine desire to work together to create a happier, healthier

nation and a united determination to tackle inequalities and provide opportunities to people and groups who’ve been left behind for too long.

“The pandemic has been an unprecedented challenge to community sport and activity in this country and, while the impact of Covid-19 is still being felt by many groups and organisations, there is plenty of optimism that through the changes we’ve made and by working together we can build on the progress of the last two years and bring about the change we all want.”

One of the biggest changes has been the creation of long-term partnerships with more than 120

The Play & Activity sector has always been a vibrant innovator. After a difficult time, it is starting to attract the spotlight again. Our regular special features on the sector are the perfect showcase for your products and services. We can help you highlight the best of the sector by reaching the decision-makers.

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influential organisations and revolutionised our investment model.

These partnerships include traditional allies such as the Football Association, The England and Wales Cricket Board and The Rugby Football Union but, crucially, also include long-term relationships with organisations such as the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, parkrun and Mencap, to help them contribute to tackling inequalities and support people to access the profound physical, mental and community benefits of sport and physical activity.

Sport England Enquiry 38

eibe shows creativity within safety regulations

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Play equipment from Huck that is sure to catch the eye

Creating play equipment that provides play enjoyment coupled with reliability and safety is always Huck’s ambition.

As such Huck are always looking for new and exciting ways to entertain and stimulate children’s imagination.

Together with one of their customers - The LeisureWay, a young team of architects from Spain – they have developed a completely new series of innovative and modern play equipment – the ‘CLIMBING GLASSES’ are one of them.

To most of us, glasses frames are simply a visual aid, but for

Huck it is their most original and diverse piece of play equipment. It is an object which we come across often in our daily lives or is something we have constantly with us.

Except for the arms it is a static object. As soon as eyes are added the frame is given motion and individuality. Exactly what Huck realised with their adaptation to play equipment.

The ‘Climbing Glasses’ are a double swing frame for the playground, and are idea for children from 6 years of age. Each is bespoke. By adding various climbing elements of Huck’s rope play such as climbing nets,

rope ladders, hammocks, swings or their original Bird’s nest which is in use across the world, there is suddenly an innovative and exciting new piece of play equipment which will turn eyes! This device offers a variety of challenges that children of this age are looking for.

Huck also offers a full design, installation and maintenance service for new and existing outdoor and indoor play areas. Their team can work with you to completely refurbish or redesign your play area or simply replace or repair worn-out netting and/or equipment.

Huck Enquiry 40

An alternative way to reach fitness goals

A recent study has shown that over 5 million people in the UK have either cancelled or are considering cancelling their gym membership due to the cost of living crisis.

If this trend continues it poses a threat to the wellbeing of the nation and could potentially cause a health and fitness crisis.

With fitness being at the top of many peoples’ resolutions lists, Wicksteed’s FLZ equipment can provide a free, effective and alternative way to reach fitness goals.

From balance beams and dip bars to our double leg press, hamstring stretch and full-on calisthenics static fitness zone, the outdoor gym equipment range has it all, no matter your ability.

Wicksteed Enquiry 41

Restoring Britain’s oldest lido

It’s been closed to the public for almost 40 years, but now Britain’s oldest lido is set to reopen to the public, after being restored with 340m² of grey wet pour being instal`led around the pools by RTC Safety Surfaces.

Originally opened in 1817, the lido was open to public use. By

1867, Captain Evans had taken charge of Cleveland Pools, teaching swimming, providing snacks and hosting gala parties with his pet baboon.

Unusual access to the site meant that materials and equipment had to be transported to the area by barge. Coloured wet pour is a great

alternative to traditional tiles around pools, as it is non-slip and impact absorbent making the area safe for visitors. Wet pour is also fully porous, so The Cleveland Pools Trust do not have to worry about standing water.

RTC Safety Surfaces Enquiry 42

Taraflex triumph for Gerflor at Colchester Academy

When Colchester Academy in Essex required a new sports floor for their main hall and their dance studio, they turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor for an Olympic pedigree solution. For this prestigious education establishment, Gerflor would supply a total of 552m2 of their world class Taraflex Performance vinyl sports flooring for the sports hall, and 258m2 of their Taraflex Combi 85 System in Evolution for their dance studio.

The responsibility for delivering the design and finish for the school’s sports halls would fall to Braintree-based architectural practice- Barker Associates.

Ben Jeapes, Senior Building Surveyor at Barker Associates commented, “I have specified Gerflor products in the past and know that they provide

excellent quality safety flooring. I am also aware that Gerflor specialise in world class sports flooring and have the option of numerous systems for different levels of performance, or to accommodate different types of sub-floor construction found in

refurbishment projects such as Colchester Academy.”

The installation of the Gerflor products was undertaken by Ipswich-based Cadman Flooring. Kieran Cadman from Cadman Flooring said, “We find

Gerflor’s flooring products so easy to install and the support from the specification and technical teams is first class. We have specified Gerflor floorings before and we will continue to do so moving forward.”

Dan Bowen, Area Sales &

Specification Manager, Gerflor said, “Taraflex Performance was chosen for the main sports hall. The school wanted a floor that could be used for sports that require good levels of ball bounce, which Taraflex achieves due to its unique construction.

“They also wanted a high-quality sports floor that would protect the students from injury. Thanks to the high levels of impact resistance that Taraflex delivers, this requirement was easily met.”

Gerflor Enquiry 43

Creative Play’s new manufacturing and office facility

Creative Play UK has relocated from Chester to a brand-new facility based within North Wales.

Continued success and growth has allowed for the expansion into a new, state of the art, purpose-built premises.

The new facility provides additional capacity, more efficient manufacturing processes, and a more modern working environment, ensuring a higher quality service to all of customers and a better place to work for employees.

The new premises provides over 20,000 square feet of offices, manufacturing, distribution and storage facilities.

James Harris, the Managing Director said: “This is a very exciting step for our company and will see considerable benefits for our employees and customers through improved efficiencies and production capacity”.

“We’re proud to be a UK manufacturer, with more than 95% of our materials and components sourced right here in the UK, and I’m particularly pleased to be moving the business back into Wales where the company has its original roots.

“At the heart of the relocation, is the continuous drive to minimise our impact on the environment by reducing energy usage and creating a circular economy and investing in greener systems.”

Sales and Marketing director David Esser added: “For more than 30 years, it has been our aim to create outstanding outdoor spaces for children. This considerable investment will ensure the continued growth of the business and see us work hand in hand with schools, local authorities and commercial customers for many years to come”.

Creative Play UK Enquiry 44

Creativity within play safety regulations

eibe play Ltd are timber play equipment specialists who work with architects to create impressive bespoke play areas without the insane bespoke price tag, thanks to our modular plug-and-play equipment design framework.

Another benefit we offer architects is guidance on how to see clearly through the dense

hardwood forest of EN1176 Play Safety regulations, for instance, were you aware of this?

Contrary to popular belief, there are specific circumstances where you can place items within equipment freefall space (the space around equipment that is to be kept free in case the child falls off) as long as there is “continuity

of movement” between the two items. This allows you to install more equipment into a small area combining two separate items to create new, unique and exciting play opportunities!

E.g. shall we continue the flow of play by connecting our balance trail up to our climbing frame? The golden rule in the EN1176

regulations is “no more than 500mm, (between items) to enable continuity of movement”

We love working with architects and our creative director David Hibberd is happy to provide you with a free design and regulations review.

eibe Enquiry 45