MBE for a Play Safety Pioneer
PRESS RELEASE
Date: 11th January 2012
Nick Balmforth has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year honours list for his services to Children’s Play Provision. Nick is recognized throughout the indoor play sector for his pioneering work in authoring the first independent safety guidelines on indoor play safety and establishing the BSEN standards for the UK and across Europe.
In a foreword contributed to the PPA’s start-up guide for indoor play centres Nick recalled that as far back as the early 90s, no independent safety guidelines for indoor play had been written. And with a growing indoor play sector there was a need for both a British and a European Safety Standard in order to safety-assess new play centres being established throughout the country. From his first ILAM publication in 1992 it took Nick 16 years of meetings, investigations and research to finally complete the British standard in 2002, with the European standard following in 2008.
On hearing the news of his Award Nick said: “I am both thrilled and humbled by this recognition. Many people have contributed towards the indoor play safety standardization process that I have been privileged to pioneer and lead and I thank them all. I hope the national publicity surrounding this Award will help further to raise the profile of play and its vital importance to children’s lives”.
A longside his MBE, Nick already holds a 2003 Fellowship of the Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management and in 2010 he was awarded the Play Providers Association’s (PPA) ASPIRE Legend lifetime achievement award.
Janice Dunphy, Chairman of the PPA, said: “On behalf of indoor play centre operators in the UK, the PPA sends it’s congratulations to Nick Balmforth on his recent MBE. The work Nick has done to raise standards in play provision and put the indoor play sector on the map is fantastic and he does this with great professionalism and integrity. Nick is a true gentleman and we are thrilled that his work on our behalf has been recognised in this way on the New Years Honours list”.
John Simmons, Chairman of the Register of Play Inspectors International, said: “It is a great honour for a member of the play sector to be recognised with an MBE and Nick Balmforth’s work on indoor play safety, particularly his contributions to the RPII and play inspection in general cannot be underestimated.”
Graham Robinson, indoor representative on the API Executive, said: “We were delighted to hear of Nick’s award and take pride in the recognition of his outstanding contribution to our industry. Nick has worked with API members for many years developing, in the first instance, best practice, finally delivered the definitive standard for indoor play. A new industry needs inspiration and Nick has certainly been instrumental in nurturing ours.”
John Croasdale, chairman of the API, said: “The API is very pleased to see an MBE awarded to Nick Balmforth who has contributed so much to the play sector by helping to drive up standards and raise the bar for children’s safety in play.”
Nick is well-known throughout the industry as a founding director and regular inspector for the Play Inspection Company, established to meet the rising demand for safer play spaces encouraged by his safety standards. Nick has also held several influential positions in other areas of the sector, including as a convenor of both BSI and CEN standardization committees and as panel member for establishing the Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII) Fully Enclosed Play Equipment examination.
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Editors Notes:
PAR is the name of the newly created indoor play alliance formed by:
- The Play Providers Association
PPAThe PPA represents leading indoor play centre operators in the UK.
www.playproviders.org.uk
- The Association of Play Industries
The API is the lead trade body in the play sector, representing manufacturer’s, installers, designers and distributors of indoor and outdoor play equipment and safer surfacing.
www.api-play.org
- The Register of Play Inspectors International
RPII Provides a register qualified independent inspectors for providers of contained, indoor or soft play equipment.
www.playinspectors.com
The main aim of the alliance is to raise standards and for the associations to work more effectively in partnership on projects and issues of mutual benefit. By forming a stronger voice for the indoor play sector we hope to facilitate its development and growth.
Each association shares similar goals in that we strive for better, safe, more exciting and commercially viable children’s indoor play centres an so by taking this collaborative approach we aim to:
- Create accurate industry data, information and reports
- Promote high standards and best practice
- Work in partnership with other related organisations to promote indoor play
- Provide advice and highlight best practice for new start ups
- Facilitate joint events, seminars and online information to support PAR’s work.
Media Contact: Adam Steiner, PR/Communications Officer T: 024 7641 4999 ext 217, E: adam@sportsandplay.com