Play & Activity December 2017

API supports Power of Play Appeal

The Association of Play Industries is supporting the Power of Play – a Children in Need appeal in partnership with Asda.

The appeal will enable 30,000 disadvantaged children across the UK to develop vital life skills through play.

API Chair, Mark Hardy says: “The importance of play is often underestimated. It’s absolutely central to children’s healthy physical, emotional and social development. We’re delighted that Children in Need is recognising the power of play.

“The API’s Nowhere2Play report revealed an alarming decline in playgrounds in England. Between 2014/15 and 2015/16 local authorities across England closed 214 children’s playgrounds, and when asked about future plans they admitted their aim was to close a further 234.

“These closures will disproportionately affect children in the most deprived areas, many of whom will, quite literally, find themselves with nowhere to play.

We welcome the fact that the Power of Play appeal is targeting some of the most disadvantaged children in the UK.

“Children are becoming increasingly isolated and sedentary. The lure of technology, parental attitudes to children ‘playing out’ and, of course, the decline in spaces in which children can play, are all contributing to a national crisis for our children.

deprived of play are being denied an essential aspect of childhood.

“Access to safe and free areas to play is crucial for a healthy and happy childhood, as fundamental as getting enough sleep and having a good diet. Playgrounds are especially

important in deprived areas where, for many children, they represent their only opportunities to be active and socialise with peers. Without them, we are driving children indoors, onto their screens and away from each other. We back the Power of Play appeal

and wish it every success – not just in terms of raising funds, but also in raising awareness of the crisis many children are facing and the importance of play.”

API Enquiry 44

Gerflor and Judy Murray rise to community challenge Ensuring the safety of Britain’s playgrounds

Inchgarth community centre in the ‘Granite City’ of Aberdeen is the city’s biggest, busiest and most successful centre with some 2000 users, 150 sessions of activity per week and delivers services for people of all ages including; music, fitness, sports, education, leisure, recreation, the arts and social projects including many outreach services.

Mother of tennis superstar Sir Andy Murray, Judy Murray wanted to do something tangible to assist the centre.

Eighteen months ago, she delivered a large coaching session for fifty adults and forty children to introduce them to tennis,

“Opportunities for free, unstructured and unsupervised play are shrinking and at the same time the childhood obesity crisis worsens and the number of children with mental health problems is on the rise. Children passing on the basic coaching skills in order that tennis could grow in the community.

Working with Kris Souter through Tennis on The Road, Judy Murray remembered Inchgarth and offered the centre an amount of PowerGame outdoor modular sports flooring from Sport Court which had been originally donated by international flooring specialists Gerflor to Judy Murray to further her tennis initiatives.

In 2015 Gerflor announced their acquisition of Connor Sports and their Sport Court brand in a move that subsequently expanded the company’s global market reach.

Back in 2005, Connor Sports joined industry leader Sport Court to form Connor Sport Court International, Inc. (CSCI). Sport Court has built systems for many elite associations including the NBA, NCAA, FIBA, USTA,

FIVB, US Youth Futsal, USA Volleyball and Premier Euro League Teams.

The safest modular outdoor court in the world PowerGame from Sport Court features the lowest skin abrasion of virtually any outdoor court surface and is made of the highest quality materials and UV stabilizers to protect the customer’s investment.

The patented Double-Tier shock absorbing grid and Lateral Forgiveness reduces joint strain and fatigue to help users play longer and more safely than ever.

The PowerGame system supplied by Gerflor is now a permanent fixture at the Inchgarth community centre where it’s playing its’ role in providing on-going tennis lessons for a new generation of possible Wimbledon stars, all thanks to Gerflor and Judy Murray.

Gerflor Enquiry 45

The Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII) has released its new brochure highlighting the importance of using accredited inspectors to ensure the safety of playground equipment, play areas and inflatables.

The Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII) is the official UK body for examining, accrediting and certificating inflatable, indoor and outdoor play inspectors.

The RPII examines, accredits and certificates inspectors across a range of job roles, from post manufacture inspection to regular routine inspection.

Ensuring play safety is essential - both for the protection of the children using the equipment and to mitigate risk for the councils, schools and organisations in charge of these play areas.

By using accredited playground inspectors, providers can be sure that they meet the strict criteria set by the RPII and that they’ve been fully trained to conduct inspections to the required levels of competence.

The RPII provides industry updates, continuing professional development and industry updates for its members.

It also works year-round to promote the benefits of using accredited inspectors to relevant user groups.

The RPII is a UK based organisation, which has international members who wish to work to the high standards of the UK voluntarily.

RPII Enquiry 46

Spotlight on the vibrant

Transforming outdoor spaces for nearly 40 years

A&S Landscape have been transforming and creating outdoor spaces for nearly 40 years.

The company manufactures its brand of canopies and shade sails here in the UK and for quality is paramount.

With a range of polycarbonate canopies, fabric canopies and cycle stores, not to mention bespoke capabilities, the options are endless.

Fabric structures can enhance any outdoor area, creating space for dining, socialising, learning or just relaxing. The option to have waterproof fabric means you can add shelter from the rain not just from UV rays.

Polycarbonate and steel canopies come in a wide range of designs, offering entrance canopies, shelters and covered walkways in any shape or configuration. The steelwork is galvanised and powder coated to stop corrosion and extend the life of the structure.

The company also offer aluminium guttering as standard

which can be powder coated and colour matched to the rest of the canopy, far preferable to brittle plastic gutters.

A&S Landscape are the only company in the UK to offer coloured polycarbonate roofing as an option, which is a striking addition to any canopy.

The same quality of materials extends to the cycle store range, where it offers both open or secure cycle stores. Long lasting, quality products that will encourage cycling for many years to come, A&S has a configuration to fit your requirement.

A&S Landscape are regarded within the industry for our efficiency, integrity and reliability. Since 1976 it has developed a close working relationship with Local Authorities, Architects, Schools, Builders and Property Managers meeting their needs with superior products, enhanced aesthetics, greater functionality and competitive prices.

A&S Landscape Enquiry 48

Act now to save our parks, playgrounds and green spaces

New research from Fields in Trust showing the crucial role that parks and green spaces play in all our lives has prompted the Association of Play Industries (API) to highlight once again the alarming decline in playgrounds uncovered in their Nowhere to Play campaign.

API Chair, Mark Hardy, says: “The Fields in Trust research shows, for the first time at national level, a direct and statistically significant link between public parks and green spaces and health and wellbeing.

“We are at a pivotal point in the ongoing campaign to protect the future of our playgrounds, parks and green spaces. There is a clear picture emerging demonstrating the positive impact that parks have on health, wellbeing and community integration.

“We need to act now to reverse the decline in parks and green spaces due to budget cuts and use this and other research data to inform public policy.”

The Fields in Trust findings which will be published in full soon, establish a link between an individual’s use of parks and green spaces and an improvement in their life satisfaction, sense of worth, happiness and anxiety levels.

The research comes amid news of the newly-established Parks Action Group, a governmentcreated advisory body which will explore options to ensure that communities can benefit from parks and green spaces for generations to come.

“We welcome the formation of the Parks Action Group,” says Mark. “Given the increasingly overwhelming evidence of the health benefits of parks and the negative impact their decline will have, it’s now imperative that Government looks into the future of our green spaces.”

The API’s Nowhere to Play report uncovered an alarming decline in playground provision. Between 2014/15 and 2015/16

And the recent Heritage Lottery Fund report highlighted cuts to budgets for the running of parks, with 92% of park managers reporting cuts to their budgets over the past three years.

“The downward trend in park and playground provision is happening fast and let’s not forget that once a park has gone it’s probably gone forever,” adds Mark. “To take away opportunities for children to play outside and be active - at

“The Parks Action Group represents a welcome joined-up approach to safeguarding these spaces and is urgently needed. We now need a clear show of support for playgrounds and the benefits they bring to young people. We are repeating our call for a £100 million investment to replace lost playgrounds and help re-instate children’s access to free play and activity.”

API Enquiry 49

High quality timber solutions for new development

Alconbury Weald, Britain’s largest housing development, is being built on an old, cold-war RAF base and has a perimeter of 18km and will deliver nearly 7,000 homes.

The scheme costs £1.5billion and is hailed as an urban extension because it is larger than a garden village but smaller than a new town.

It will include a Governmentbacked enterprise zone, two primary schools, a secondary school, a health centre, 700 acres of green space and a cricket pitch.

The scale of the project warrants multiple play areas located across

the new community and JupiTER Play has secured a key role.

Bradley Murphy Design created the first of many play areas. The result highlights how important quality green spaces are. Bradley Murphy Design wanted to continue the character of the housing development through to the play area.

As a result, Jupiter supplied material from the company’s FHS range which offers the highest quality robinia timbers in the market. Furthermore, this robust product will require minimal maintenance works and will withstand unwanted behaviour.

The playground caters to children of all ages therefore encouraging individuals to play with one another regardless their stage of development. In addition, the sand allows parents

to explore with their toddlers without obstructing the children on the structure.

Jupiter Play Enquiry 50

local authorities across England closed 214 children’s playgrounds with plans to close a further 234.

the same time as we are trying to tackle childhood obesityis counterproductive and it is children in deprived areas who are hit hardest.

Oxford United installs leading brand of artificial grass

ArtificialGrass.com has installed a winning indoor surface in the home changing room at Oxford United.

The leading UK supplier provided a mini pitch of inlaid grass flooring, creating a ‘virtual’ setting designed to boost team tactics on match days.

The new mini pitch is thought to be the first of its kind in the English Football League.

Covering an area of around five by 15 metres, the mini pitch installation was part of investment in the general refurbishment of Oxford United changing rooms during the preseason period.

With the club currently sitting in the top half of League 1, Oxford United Business Development Manager Peter Rhoades-Brown has high hopes for the rest of the season and is pleased with the positive effect of the new mini pitch on the level of play so far.

“Our players really like the new surface. It not only brightens up the changing room area, but is also of valuable practical use; in particular being ideal for developing tactics and set-pieces, as well as rethinking moves at half time. I think we are the first club to have gone down this route and all good so far.”

There is an increasing trend for artificial turf across the UK and demand is rapidly growing for ArtificialGrass.com products.

Available exclusively through builders’ merchants, ArtificialGrass.com offers a range of products suitable for residential and commercial installation, including schools and play areas, providing a

Waste wood from playground firm donated to charity project

WASTE wood left over from the creation of children’s playgrounds is being donated to a new wildlife charity project which aims to reach out to lonely older people and provide a vital training hub for young people.

Chester-based family firm,

Working with placement students from South Cheshire College and other volunteer groups, the proceeds from the sale of the items will be used to support the trust’s conservation work.

James Harris, Managing Director of Creative Play, whose father, Keith Harris started the company

he popped over for a chat. We decided to supply them with all the scrap timber generated from the playgrounds we create - if good could come from it, we’d rather it be used than go to waste.

“Sam has already picked up a couple of pallets of material which will be used to build

Corporate Partnerships Manager for Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Sam Salisbury, said the focus of the project is sustainability and social engagement.

The trust has already used some of their first batch of timber to work on prototypes for the scheme, as well as other projects like making bug hotels with local children.

William’s Den delivers exceptional play whatever the weather

East Yorkshire’s newest family attraction, William’s Den, is enjoying a very busy first season, and it’s not hard to see why with such exceptional play facilities.

Timberplay were delighted to be part of this unique attraction, designing and delivering the outdoor play area.

William’s Den sought to create an attraction that provided the very best naturally inspired play opportunities, from the UK’s largest timber indoor play areas with a difference, to sand and water sites, playful landscaping, challenging outdoor equipment, and den building. It seems the leisure market was waiting for a site such as Williams Den as it has been fully booked for most of the summer holidays.

Timberplay worked with William’s Den to create outdoor play which embraced landscaping to create a space which appeals to children across a wide age range. The inclusion of sand and water pumps and channels boosts the playvalue within the site significantly.

Older children have the challenge of the Climbing Structure and the thrill of the cableway. Toddlers can embrace the role play within the Platform House or fly as high as they dare in the Cradle Swing.

Timberplay Enquiry 56

Feel ‘the power’ with Connor Sport Court

Connor Sport Court, owned by international flooring and interiors specialist Gerflor is the market leader in sports surfacing and has built systems for many elite associations including the NBA, NCAA, FIBA, USATF and USA Volleyball, together with supplying the recent 2016 Rio Olympic Games with their basketball courts.

Connor Sport Court specialise in both wood and synthetic surfaces

and have appropriate solutions for every type of athletic venue, park or multi-use facility.

It provides products that are ideal for a myriad of sport uses in education colleges and universities, schools, sports and leisure centres, the military, together with dance floor studios and fitness venues.

The safest outdoor court in the world PowerGame from Connor

Sport Court features the lowest skin abrasion of any outdoor court surface and is made of the highest quality materials and UV stabilisers to protect the specifiers investment and is a perfect fit for a host of performance sports including; badminton, tennis, basketball, netball and hockey.

The patented Double-Tier shock absorbing grid and Lateral Forgiveness reduces joint strain and fatigue to help participants play longer and more safely than ever.

Available in 22 stunning colour choices the performance of PowerGame is also designed to deliver excellent ball bounce, a huge factor in both on-court response and enjoyment.

Gerflor Enquiry 58

Adding flair to the Fleet Arm Museum

Proludic has completed a bespoke play area, at the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Museum in Somerset.

As one of the South West’s leading tourist attractions – this unique play area definitely has the ‘wow’ factor. The inspiration behind the design was the Queen Elizabeth Class Carrier and Fleet Air Arm themes which created a playful space that is easily recognisable for all.

Within this theme; the Proludic design team crafted 4 main bespoke play equipment items – The Flight Control Tower, The Ship Control Tower, The F35 Fighter Jet and the Merlin Helicopter. Each piece unique to the play area and the fleet arm museum, using their current branding and themes.

As Proludic manufacture all their equipment from one factory base, located at the head

office in France – they have the capabilities of working to a client’s specific needs and brief. The results are a completely special play area tailored specifically to what people want.

The Fleet Air Arm museum is a great example of what can be achieved using this creative design philosophy. Catering

for the 2-14 year age ranges, It can accommodate up to 76 users with 63 individual play activities. The opening was attended by over 150 people and the play area proved to be a real hit.

RTC enjoys top of the class billing at Rigby Hall

Road markings and rivers are some of the most popular graphics in playground surfacing – and with good reason.

They may seem simple, but they can have a striking visual effect and are great fun for children.

Working on behalf of Playdale, RTC Safety Surfaces was asked

to install over 900m² of wet pour safety surfacing at depths varying between 20mm and 80mm.

Rather than a simple single lane roadway (which can be great for smaller areas) the school opted for a road with two lanes, two zebra crossing and a roundabout at the centre. By creating such a ‘busy’ road the children will get

the chance to learn how traffic flows on roads and roadabouts, as well as how to use the crossing carefully and respectfully.

RTC also installed a blue river that meandered its way across the playground, including green lily pads and culminating in an ‘island’ – a great place for sitting and watching the world go by.

Rigby Hall School was keen to promote the school’s key values; as such our team put their in-house training to the test and installed the play area with phrases such as “Mutual Respect,” “Individual Liberty” and “Valuing Every Achievement” written within the surfacing.

RTC Enquiry

Inclusive outdoor learning and play area

Sutcliffe Play has worked with Glenwood School on the development of a £250,000 inclusive outdoor learning and play area.

The school has recently been rebuilt by Essex County Council on land adjacent to its previous site. The school reopened in September 2017 and as part of the new build project the school wanted to include an outdoor space that could be used for both learning and play.

Glenwood is a Community Special School for learners aged 3-19 with severe, profound or multiple learning difficulties. This includes learners with autistic spectrum condition and those with complex physical and sensory impairments.

The school is committed to creating a happy and positive environment for pupils and staff, with the new playground forming an integral part of their strategy. It was important that the playground wasn’t just about the equipment; it needed to be an outdoor learning space that would engage pupils across four key areas:

• Sensory Garden

• Balance & Coordination Area

• Outdoor Classroom

• Inclusive Physical Development Area

Inclusivity is at the heart of all of Sutcliffe Play’s proposals

and our design team has created an outdoor space for Glenwood School that creates endless opportunities for both learnings and play. The four areas have created clear zones for pupils to engage in different activities:

Sensory Garden - This area uses equipment and materials to create a natural playground. Pathways and tunnels are created with wooden equipment, bamboo and planters. We’ve also introduced pieces that create opportunities that will help to develop and engage sound and vision. A hammock and table and chairs provide settings to develop social skills.

Balance & Coordination Area - This area features equipment from Sutcliffe Play’s Orchard range. The wooden, environmentally friendly range complements the Sensory Garden with sleeper benches and activity trails to help develop balance. This area also includes an inclusive nest swing that is designed like a bird’s next to allow children of differing abilities to swing together.

Outdoor Classroom - A gazebo has been installed to create an outdoor learning environment with a chalkboard, benches and tables accessible for wheelchairs.

Inclusive Physical Development Area - This area is packed with some of Sutcliffe Play’s newest and most innovative equipment. This includes two multi-play

units featuring a wide range of different play options, access points and levels of challenge:

• The first, a large bespoke unit offers double wheel chair access ramps with turning and passing points whilst incorporating play elements along the route. Drag ramps, wide non-slip access steps and double width access cargo nets ensure that users of all abilities can access the 1.2 high large seating central play house and slide.

• The second, the Daffodil Climber from the Toddlerzone Plus range features gentle waving panels to reflect a natural theme.

Sutcliffe Play also installed our inclusive wheelchair roundabout that allows those in a wheelchair to experience spinning, just as if they were on a traditional roundabout.

Judith Salter, head teacher at Glenwood School says: “Outdoor space forms a really important part of the learning opportunities and leisure time for the young people attending Glenwood. We aim to provide the best possible education for all learners to prepare them for everything they can achieve in life. The new playground will help us to achieve these goals and will have a long-lasting positive impact on the school.”

Russell Play completes Spooky Rookies toddlers play area

An exclusive set of themed toddler’s play equipment from the Russell Play Berliner rope play range, has added a fresh bold style to a new play area in Magdalene Glen, Edinburgh.

The fenced play area with its colourful rubber safe play surface has an arrangement of three linked ‘Spooky Rookie’ play units.

These attractive themed playhouse structures offer a great selection of challenging play activities suitably designed for the capabilities of small children.

During consultation with the local community, The City of Edinburgh Council’s Design Team produced several alternative designs and play locations. It was decided that two play areas were to be constructed, a toddler area and a junior area for older children.

For the toddler park the community assessed and formally approved the final

scheme, which had a focus on utilising the Berliner equipment. Both the client and the community could see the great appeal of the Berliner rope structures and ‘Spooky Rookies’ range in offering children fun activities and imaginative play. The council could also see the possible options with its modular construction and decided it would be a good practical choice for the sloping site.

Berliner are experts in creating modular rope play equipment. The ‘Spooky Rookies’ range was devised with toddlers specifically in mind featuring low to the ground access ramps, nets and platforms. The units can also be linked-up in different arrangements, as demonstrated with Magdalene Glen toddler play area, to create larger play structures rather than just as stand-alone items.

With the Spooky Rookies range, taller units can be linked

to low level access units with rope bridges to give children more play options. There are many activities that kids love as well as traversing the rope bridges including slides, lookout windows, access rope nets and access steps. The playhouse shape makes them great for a child’s imagination play with patterns printed onto the side and roof panels suggesting stone walls and tiled roofs of old castles and buildings.

‘Spooky Rookies’ is a great all round collection of play units for small children with many possibilities of formation. Not only that but they add a fun feel that invites children to play and creates a distinctive style that looks great in all locations.

Russell Play Enquiry 62

Special secondary school gets basketball court

A basketball court at a Hampshire special school is up and running after a £4.4m project of remodelling and refurbishment.

The main works were completed in August by W Stirland, a privately-owned construction company near Chichester.

They involved the conversion and extension of the existing Victorian school building at Linden Education Centre in

Aldershot, creating teaching accommodation for 92 secondary age pupils who are unable to attend main stream school because of emotional or behavioural reasons

Farnham-based PRO Fencing, the fencing division of WL West & Sons Ltd, installed the basketball court using 3m-high Duo8 steel fencing from Zaun Ltd, with matching 1.2m-high spectator railings to one side.

Duo8 forms a robust play area that is highly durable, low maintenance and ‘graffiti-proof’, and rubber inserts between panels and posts to keep ‘rattle’ during play to a minimum.

Linden Education Centre caters for students aged 11–16 whose behavioural problems have resulted in them being permanently excluded from a mainstream school, or who are in danger of being excluded.

The aim is to re-integrate students aged 11–14 into a mainstream school. Older students, especially those in Year 11, invariably complete their education at the centre before moving on to further education.

Zaun Enquiry 64

Sutcliffe Play Enquiry 63