19.12.2007 - It’s going to be a playful New Year for children across England as the Big Lottery Fund today announces 201 grants, totalling a massive £67.5 million to provide new play facilities from Northumberland to Cornwall. Read more
18.12.2007 - Proludic are pleased and excited to announce the appointment of four new members of staff that will further assist in raising our profile within the industry. Read more
11.12.2007 - The government is unveiling its 10-year "vision" for children, which includes proposals to ask schools in England to provide wider serives for parents. Read more
05.12.2007 - Sport and play sector company Notts Sport has
gained membership of the Association of Play Industries (API), the
main UK trade body within the play sector.
Read
more
04.12.2007 - A local playground in Wellford Road, Marshfield,
has been given a 10-Years-Younger-style makeover by leading play
equipment company Wicksteed Playscapes, based in Northamptonshire -
transforming it from a tired and worn eyesore into a stimulating
and inspiring place to play. Read more
04.12.2007 - The eco-cycle on your washing machine won’t be the only contribution it makes to saving the environment thanks to a new spin on recycling from a leading manufacturer of playground equipment. Read more
29.11.2007 - Playworld Systems Europe is re-introducing talking
Bob, back by popular demand. This fun and robust outdoor play
device is totally kid-powered with no batteries.
Read
more
29.11.2007 - Kinoulton Parish Council
had a budget of £20,000 to spend on refurbishing the run down
and out of date equipment at Kinoulton Primary School Play Area.
The timber based play equipment that was no longer being used by
the children of Kinoulton needed updating to bring it in line with
the needs of the community as a whole.
Read
more
26.11.2007 - The API was one of the industry experts interviewed
on BBC Radio 4 on Friday's You and Yours programme. The
feature included Robert Goss, representing the manufacturers on
behalf of the Association of Play Industries(API), Adrain Voce,
Director of Play England and Sue Palmer, Writer, broadcaster and
consultant on education of young children. Listen
Again
20.11.2007 - Award winning artists Snug & Outdoor and Sutcliffe Play, one of the leading designers and manufacturers of children’s play equipment, have announced the arrival of ‘Snug’, a revolutionary new concept for school playgrounds. Read more
19.11.2007 - Children from an Essex village will benefit from brand new play equipment after the local council won a hat trick of awards – including a £350 voucher from Wicksteed Playscapes. Read more
19.11.2007 - Where do you go if you want to design some of the best playground equipment in the world? You go to the real experts: the kids themselves. Read more
15.11.2007 - SMP Playgrounds, one of the world’s leading
designers, manufacturers and installers of outdoor play equipment,
launches their latest groundbreaking innovation, Zingo.
Read
more
08.11.2007 - The Play Inspection Company, in Association with
Wicksteed Playscapes will be running events across the UK during
2008, focusing mainly on the forthcoming updaes to the safety
standars for children's playground equipment and surfacing.
Read more
05.11.2007 - The new Yo-Yo swing from Wicksteed Playscapes is
the latest in a long line of innovation from the Kettering-based
play equipment manufacturer – 90 years of innovation to
be precise! Read
more
Picture the scene, a young woman revisits the local village play
area with her five year old son, a special place she used to enjoy
when she was a child. Looking forward to sharing her memories
and watching her son play on that same equipment in the quiet
setting of Sproughton in Ipswich, Andrea Wedgwood was sadly
disappointed. Read
more
We all want to keep children safe – but are we going the right way about it? By over protecting children we stop them developing the skills and resilience they need to protect themselves – while those working with children can become so anxious about risk prevention they lose confidence in their own good judgement. Read more
Children from Crook, in County Durham, celebrated this week
after parent power – and a helping hand from Wicksteed
Playscapes – brought them a brand new play area.
Read
more
Following the success of the launch of
Neos at Saltex 2007, Playworld Systems Europe is embarking on a
road show, allowing customers to try out the new outdoor electronic
gaming system. Read
more
The intelligent play system (i.play) a revolutionary new electronic playground system designed to get the Playstation generation off the couch is playing a prominent role in two new £100,000 playgrounds provided to Leicester and Reading councils by Walkers, part of PepsiCo who also owns Tropicana and Quaker. Read more
The PPA has just created a new pack for potential new indoor play operators. The PDF document contains useful information about the indoor play market as well as standards guidelines and PPA information. To obtain a copy simply complete the form on the PPA website. Click here
Set in the centre of town within 17 hectares of natural
woodland, Town Park is the largest play area in Harlow and has just
benefited from a massive £135k contract which was awarded to
Wicksteed Playscapes. Read
more
Grassy mounds, white sands, meandering paths, leafy arches
alongside funky fitness and play equipment ~ where would you find
all that? Wicksteed Playscape’s stand at Windsor racecourse
is the answer! Read
more
Playtop Licensing Limited, the Newark-based supplier of impact-absorbing play surfacing, has added to its growing list of overseas licensees by appointing Ergosport to cover the Greece and Cyprus territories. Read more
Locations across Scandinavia are converting in their droves from
loose fill play surfacing to wet-pour Playtop since the company
opened a Scandinavian office earlier this year.
Read
more
Playdale Playgrounds have recently worked alongside The White
Lion Recreation Association based in Wiltshire, helping them on
their project funded by the People’s Millions. The
People’s Millions is a scheme run by the Big Lottery Fund
partnered by ITV, whereby 131 community projects across the UK
reached the final public vote stage.
Read
more
This was the largest ever, indoor and outdoor nursery show case
space in Europe. The message was clear, and the visitors to the
show, over 1500 of them, from Children’s Centres and
Nursery Chains from all over the country were buzzing from the
ideas and solutions offered by the working children’s centre
provided by the eibe play team.
Read
more
The Chappel Parish Council project highlights our ability to work with the existing features and limited budgets of an area and bring new and exciting play elements that compliment and enhance the natural landscape. Read more
Record RSS, who are renowned for their forward thinking design
in outdoor play equipment, have received the Gold Stand Merit Award
for outstanding design and layout at IOG Saltex 2007. Read more
Playforce, one of the country’s leading providers of
playground equipment, has a new website which not only provides
comprehensive details about the company’s products but also
acts as an online information store. Read more
Hand Made Places, creator of innovative play scapes for learning
and fun, has picked up the Gold Award for outstanding stand design
and layout for the second year running at IOG Saltex 2007.
Read more
This year’s API Seminar Programme will be packed at Leisure Industry Week (LIW), NEC Birmingham, the UK’s biggest leisure attractions industry event. On 27 September at LIW the API will host informative seminars for indoor play operators and people planning to set up their own new centre. All will hear the latest industry news and information. Read more
Playdale Playgrounds Ltd is delighted to announce that two new Area Sales Managers have joined their team. Read more
A chance conversation between the chairman of Playtop Limited and the leader of Nottinghamshire County Council is now the basis for what could be a unique partnership between the public and private sector to look at new ways of promoting recycling and the use of sustainable materials in play surfacing. Read more
It’s time to look at Wicksteed Leisure from a very
different perspective. A total re-branding exercise has
recently been carried out at the Kettering-based company and a
fresh, streamline and inspirational new look has emerged.
Read more
The API is hosting a educational seminar aimed at the indoor
play industry at this years
Leisure Industry Week - LIW event at the NEC, on the 27th September
2007 Read
more
SMP, reveals how architecture has been influential in the
development and design of playgrounds. Read more
Playtop Limited has won a contract to supply and fit impact-absorbing surfacing to Oxford City Council for the next three years. Read more
SMP Playgrounds, one of the UK’s leading designers, manufacturers and installers of outdoor play equipment are finding continued success with their Nexus Freeride, a play product that mimics popular extreme sports such as Snowboarding, Skateboarding and Surfing. Read more
Playworld Systems’ climbing boulders are gaining
popularity amongst councils up and down the country for their
appeal to all age groups. Read more
Outdoor Playground Company Record RSS have launched their brand new website. The websites new design and layout reflects the company’s new funkier image. Read more
With growth in awareness of health and safety regulations and the threat of legal action for non-compliance, local authorities and businesses are increasingly looking at ways to upgrade the safety of their concrete-surfaced play areas. Read more
A BOGGY garden and inclement weather were proving unwelcome obstacles to play times for a Tamworth pre-school until they called in the playground experts. Read more
PUPILS at Taunton’s Bishop Henderson Church of England School, judged ‘outstanding’ after a recent Ofsted inspection, have bounced there way to buying exciting and challenging new playground equipment. Read more
Matta Products playground safety surfacing booklet is new and it is free. The 16-page ‘Guide to Playground Safety Surfacing’ is launched this month. It is aimed to help play providers, playground designers and specifiers, especially in local government, make the right choices from all the available options. Read more
The Intelligent Play System from Playdale takes gaming
technology into the playground
and makes exercise fun for the ‘Playstation generation’
. Read more
Making its debut at Saltex in early September will be Neos, an exciting new product from Playworld Systems, which brings electronic gaming to the outdoor play space. Read more
Environmental issues are becoming an increasing concern and here at Playdale we are committed to reducing the impact on the environment through each and every one of our business activities. Read more
Kompan launches CD-Rom packed full of essential information. Read more
Playday, the annual celebration of children’s right to play, takes place on Wednesday 1 August 2007. Read more
Safe & Sound Playgrounds have added to its portfolio
providing a one-stop-shop for
customers. Read more
After undergoing stringent testing SMP’s Arena multi-sports systems will now bear the GS and TÜV Certification Marks of compliance. Read more
Playground Company Record RSS have taken part in the British Heart Foundation sponsored bike ride. The event was held in Dalby Forest on Sunday 10 June. Read more
Playworld Systems’ new range of Ball Courts are proving immensely popular around the country with both local authorities and housing developers. Read more
How on earth do you design and build a product for the 7 to 15 year old market and get it right? How can it satisfy the needs of a consumer group who wouldn’t leave the house if they had the wrong trainers on? Read more
SMP Playgrounds has built an enviable reputation in the global play equipment market, however, is it their ability to create products for the 7 to 15 year olds, or ‘tween’ market that makes SMP different? Liz Bright – European Marketing Manager for SMP Playgrounds explains.... Read more
Europe’s largest touring organisation, The Caravan Club, has awarded playground equipment specialist, Playdale, a nationwide contract to install and maintain over 120 brand new play areas at Caravan Club sites throughout the UK. Read more
Sun Safe Play and Hippo Leisure Products have completed a revolutionary new pirate themed, fully interactive splash park for Flamingoland, Yorkshire which is currently the largest interactive splash park in Europe. Read more
SMP Playgrounds, one of the worlds leading designers,
manufacturers and installers of outdoor play equipment are still
finding success with their Nexus Freeride, a play product that
mimics popular extreme sports such as Snowboarding, Skateboarding
and Surfing.
Read more
The new European Safety Standard for Free Access Neighbourhood Sports Facilities, commonly known as Multi Use Games Area’s (MUGA’s) has now been passed and coded EN15312. Playdale are delighted to announce that their timber/aluminium Agorespace range of Multi Sports Courts comply fully with this standard. Read more
A chance conversation between the chairman of Playtop Limited and the leader of Nottinghamshire County Council is now the basis for what could be a unique partnership between the public and private sector to look at new ways of promoting recycling and the use of sustainable materials in play surfacing. Read more
A new exam to certify the competence of indoor play inspectors
is now launched by the
Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII). It aims to meet
demand boosted by rapid
growth in indoor play or family entertainment centre (FEC) numbers
- set to double in the
next few years. Read more
The National Playing Fields Association (NPFA), the charity that safeguards and improves the United Kingdom’s playing fields, outdoor recreation areas and playgrounds, has changed its working name to Fields in Trust (FIT) and adopted a contemporary visual identity to reflect its expanding role. Read more
Playgrounds (UK) Limited built two new play areas for Marwell Zoo’s new Encounter Village and Australian Biome and laid its PLAYfall™ wetpour with aboriginal themed graphics throughout the Village. Read more
BEING green is an important part of life at Kehelland Village
School, so much so that when it came to choosing new playground
equipment sustainability was a deciding factor.
The school on the outskirts of Camborne believes in being
environmentally friendly and wanted to buy a trim trail from a
company that has sustainability at its heart. Read more
In this two-year appointment, Lesley Knight succeeds Phil
Holden. For the last two years Ms Knight has been vice chair then
chairwoman for indoor play - a role in which she
continues. Read more
The Register for Play Inspectors International Ltd (RPII) was
set up to accredit and certify individual inspectors who have shown
the required level of knowledge and demonstrated competence to the
required levels. Read more
A playground make-over for a Milton Keynes school is channelling energy and improving behaviour. Read more
SPI Play (Europe) Ltd, based in North Wales, is pleased to
announce that through its recent discussions with The Play Mart
Group, based in Italy, it intends to merge to form the
world’s largest commercial play supply company.
Read more
Playworld’s new concept for older generation fitness, LifeTrail, has recently caught the attention of Welsh councils looking to fulfil the needs of the Welsh Assembly ‘Climbing Higher Initiative.’ Read more
Polly Toynbee presented the Lifetime in Play in London Award 2007 to Sandra Melville, former director of PLAYLINK until retiring in 2005. The Award, sponsored by Sutcliffe Play, was presented at a Parliamentary Reception hosted by Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury on 29 March 2007. Read more
Playworld Systems Europe marked another successful year by winning a total of 3 awards at the group’s international sales conference. Read more
Outdoor play equipment specialist, Record RSS is sponsoring its loyal customer Wayne Raistrick of Persimmon Homes West Yorkshire, in his charity bungee jump off the Middlesbrough Transporter bridge. The 160ft jump which will take place on the 25th March 2007 is in aid of Bradford neo-natal unit. Read more
The newly refurbished play area at Cherry Orchard in Kent was ceremoniously opened last week in honour of Sarah-Jayne Mulvihill. Dedicated to the 32 year old British servicewoman, who was tragically killed in action in Iraq in May 2006. Read more
An Aylesbury primary school has two new outside classrooms to make learning more exciting. Read more
Public Sector Software (PSS) began working in partnership with South Hams approximately18 months ago. The project was to expand the functionality of StaySafe – an asset management solution for Local Authority owned assets, to allow them to manage their building maintenance service and stock control of materials. Read more
The joint forces of a group of Oxfordshire villagers have revolutionised education for the community’s youngest members. Read more
PUPILS at a Northampton school are fast becoming the next generation of business moguls thanks to new playground equipment. Read more
The extra fun and games inspired by a new timber trail at a Birmingham school has had a positive impact on the whole of school life. Read more
Always on the look out for interesting stories, the BBC approached Playtop about doing a piece on the company for it's Working Lunch programme on BBC2. See the footage by clicking here.
A DVD aimed at both specifiers and purchasers of outdoor play
surfacing has just been released by Playtop, the Newark and
Edinburgh-based wet-pour surfacing company.
Read more
The international expansion of play surfacing provider, Playtop Limited, has stepped up a gear with the opening of a Playtop office in Odense, Denmark and the appointment of Thomas Moller-Nielsen as its International Business Development Manager for Scandinavia. Read more
NEW playground equipment has dramatically improved pupil
behaviour at a West Yorkshire school. Read more
Playworld Systems Europe has just been recognised as an Investors in People registered company, achieving the standard in only 12 months. Read more
A special episode of Challenge Anneka has been shown on ITV1 after a 12 year break. The special was aired on Boxing Day, the second anniversary of the Sri Lanka Tsunami that devastated over 1 million people and killed around 200,000. Read more
Peterborough City Council is opening the UK’s first
hi-tech playground in a bid to get the city's kids (and their
parents and grandparents!) active. Read
more
Record Playground Equipment have announced that effective from 1 January 2007, have merged with RSS Playmakers to create Record RSS. This makes them the 4th largest outdoor play company in the UK. Read more
A ground-breaking new approach to developing child-friendly towns and villages throughout the UK was unveiled Friday, December 8th in the former mining community of Upton, near Wakefield. Read more
PLAYFORCE, the premier provider of school playground equipment, has
transformed a wasteland into an enchanted playground for a group of
Somerset schoolchildren.
Read
more
Playworld Systems has just given the Adam Lea Play Area in Malvern a creative and fun facelift, with the help of LoopyWhoops, FlipFlops and Lily Pods! Read more
A PLAYFORCE outdoor classroom has added an extra dimension to both learning and living at a West Sussex school. Read more
The Play Providers Association (PPA) have published a useful
book giving invaluable guidance to people thinking of starting up a
Family Entertainment Centre (FEC),
Read more
NEW school playground equipment for King George VI School, near Kings Lynn, is not only exercising the pupils but also stimulating their imaginations. Read more
Withy Grove Park in Bamber Bridge is about to undergo a major
transformation. With a £500,000 investment from South Ribble
Council an open green space adjacent to the Leisure Centre will be
transformed into one of the largest play areas in the North
West.
Read more
As part of our programme for supporting the development of local play strategies, Play England will be holding a series of FREE policy and practice seminars over the next four months. Read more
Playforce, a Witlshire-based company that specialises in school playground equipment, has been recognised for its high quality products and excellent service by being awarded Beacon Company status by the Government-backed organisation Beacon South West. Read more
His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent KG has made an official
visit to Playtop Limited, unveiling a plaque at the company’s
Newark headquarters to commemorate his visit.
Read more
AFTER lots of saving and fund-raising events, the pupils of Chadsmead Primary School in Staffordshire now have their new Playforce playground equipment. Read more
The Association of Play Industries Federation House Stoneleigh
Park Warwickshire CV8 2RF
T +44(0) 24 76 414999 ext 208
F +44(0) 24 76 414990
E api@api-play.org
Association of Play Industries (API) : Federation House : Stoneleigh
Park : Warwickshire : CV8 2RF
T +44(0) 24 76 414999 ext 208 : F +44(0) 24 76 414990
: E api@api-play.org W
www.api-play.org
