Big Lottery funding for Adventure Play areas in Torbay
PLAYTORBAY is to receive more than £300,000 from the Big Lottery to support and develop three state of the art adventure play areas called THREE BAY VENTURES.
Based in Hele in Torquay, Blatchcombe in Paignton and Summercombe in Brixham, the play areas will be free to local families and will encourage greater participation in community-based recreation.
The new facilities will build on the developments at Fort Apache, Wild Fox and Indigos Go Wild adventure playgrounds where children and families are already involved.
Tanny Stobart, Chair of Play Torbay, said: “The Big Lottery has awarded us a total of £335,116 over three years for the play areas planned in our 3 Bay Ventures project. It’s fantastic news.
It will make such a difference and help to create greater community cohesion with families and local people. There will be lots of opportunities for children, parents and community members to take part and get fully involved in the running of provision and community-led activities. Organisations who work with children from across the Bay, especially those who are disabled, will be supported to make use of these magical spaces too.
We are seeking to demonstrate the benefits of community involvement in the management and maintenance of local play spaces.
We believe communities can bring play spaces to life and, through their contribution, can become hubs for wider community activity.
Communities can take a lead in developing and managing the places where children play, and local people can be a catalyst for positive change.
The project will support local people to access a variety of training and outdoor skills including design and build, bushcraft, risk benefit assessment, first aid, questing and outdoor games. It will also encourage volunteers to become qualified playworkers.”
Cllr Chris Lewis, Executive Lead for Children, Schools and Families, said: “Congratulations to Play Torbay on winning this marvellous funding from the Big Lottery. Children’s play spaces are part of the fabric of community life. Providing the best places possible for children to be able to play together will always be a priority for communities themselves because they know that children playing are happier, healthier and more resilient than children who are not.
“Over the last two years feedback and growing involvement from local parents and children in the three communities in Torbay is encouraging and this announcement will be important news for them.”
For further information please contact: Tanny Stobart on 07725 860407 or email tanny@playtorbay.org.uk
Tanny Stobart
