Play is definitely ‘Aloud'
A £1m project to create sustainable community-based play opportunities for children in the Vale of Glamorgan and Cardiff got off to a sensational start this summer.
The three-year ‘Play Aloud’ project, set up thanks to a Big Lottery grant, is giving kids aged 5 to 14 a fun alternative to TV and computer games when they get home from school by letting them get out and enjoy a huge range of play activities.
Both the Vale and Cardiff have their respective Play Aloud teams, and in addition to overseeing free fun-packed sessions, the staff are also working to mentor local volunteers who can be trained up with all the skills and knowledge they need to run the play sessions themselves in the future. Being ‘sustainable’ and making a long-term impact is the key element of the project and several volunteers have already been identified.
Play Aloud was officially launched in an event at the National History Museum of Wales, St Fagans, with additional launch events following in each county. Over 250 children and families got a taste of Play Aloud at the Vale of Glamorgan event, which took place at Central Park and King Square in Barry in July.
After establishing the best venues, days and times to go into different communities in the Vale of Glamorgan, the Play Aloud team set up camp last summer in playing fields, parks and community centres across Sully, Dinas Powys and Penarth. The area was chosen as the starting point for the project as it was identified as lacking in any open access play opportunities for children, and the response from local youngsters has been excellent with more than 200 children joining the team during the first week of the summer holidays, and attendances growing steadily ever since.
Play Aloud is a partnership project between the Vale of Glamorgan Council, Cardiff Council, Cardiff Voluntary Action, The Parents Federation, Recreate Play Association, and the Vale Centre for Voluntary Services.
The Vale’s Play Aloud team is currently looking into the next areas that they will visit.
A £1m project to create sustainable community-based play opportunities for children in the Vale of Glamorgan and Cardiff got off to a sensational start this summer.
The three-year ‘Play Aloud’ project, set up thanks to a Big Lottery grant, is giving kids aged 5 to 14 a fun alternative to TV and computer games when they get home from school by letting them get out and enjoy a huge range of play activities.
Both the Vale and Cardiff have their respective Play Aloud teams, and in addition to overseeing free fun-packed sessions, the staff are also working to mentor local volunteers who can be trained up with all the skills and knowledge they need to run the play sessions themselves in the future. Being ‘sustainable’ and making a long-term impact is the key element of the project and several volunteers have already been identified.
Play Aloud was officially launched in an event at the National History Museum of Wales, St Fagans, with additional launch events following in each county. Over 250 children and families got a taste of Play Aloud at the Vale of Glamorgan event, which took place at Central Park and King Square in Barry in July.
After establishing the best venues, days and times to go into different communities in the Vale of Glamorgan, the Play Aloud team set up camp last summer in playing fields, parks and community centres across Sully, Dinas Powys and Penarth. The area was chosen as the starting point for the project as it was identified as lacking in any open access play opportunities for children, and the response from local youngsters has been excellent with more than 200 children joining the team during the first week of the summer holidays, and attendances growing steadily ever since.
Play Aloud is a partnership project between the Vale of Glamorgan Council, Cardiff Council, Cardiff Voluntary Action, The Parents Federation, Recreate Play Association, and the Vale Centre for Voluntary Services.
The Vale’s Play Aloud team is currently looking into the next areas that they will visit.
| sports_and_play_summer_2011_overview_report.pdf |
