Playtop chosen to support new Eco School
Playtop impact-absorbing surfacing has been incorporated into the playground outside the new, eye-catching and environmentally friendly building at Bowbridge Primary School, Newark. The school is a nationally recognised exemplar build project - using sustainable and recycled materials in order to minimise the environmental impact and ensure its carbon footprint is as near to neutral as possible.
Pupils at Bowbridge Primary School can’t wait for break time now the new play surface has been completed. Ideas for the play area were conceived by both children and teachers at the school, and both were involved in choosing the final design. The surface includes a map of the United Kingdom and Europe with red dots indicating where key cities are situated. To add the finishing touch there is also a red dot for Newark giving pupils an understanding of its position within the UK.
A range of colours were used in the surface, all of which were selected by the School after using Playtop’s recently launched online colour mixer. The tool enabled staff and pupils to create their own unique colours by blending together the 15 standard Playtop colours in a variety of combinations.
As well as using Playtop impact-absorbing surfacing, which is made from recycled commercial vehicle tyres, Playtop also made use of its partnership with Nike, the global sportswear company, by incorporating recycled trainers (Nike Grind) into the surface. Every square metre of Playtop which incorporates Nike Grind, contains rubber from approximately 20 pairs of trainers and one commercial vehicle tyre. Using rubber granulate from tyres and trainers in this way prevents them ending up in already overflowing landfill sites.
Playtop’s partnership with Let Me Play, Nike’s corporate social responsibility programme, also provides a fund for giving back to communities in deprived areas. Playtop is a member of the scheme and the materials used were from sustainable resources, the Let Me Play fund contributed 50% of the value of the play surface.
David Dixon, head teacher at Bowbridge Primary School, commented: “Playtop was very helpful and had great sympathy with our ethos. Due to the size and nature of the project there were a couple of challenges Playtop faced - producing a template big enough for the size of the map and making sure the orientation was accurate so that is was installed in the correct position. Both were easily overcome.
“Playtop was always on hand to offer advice. Our partnership has resulted in a play surface which the children have lots of fun playing on, as well as an educational tool that can be used as a teaching aid. We use the map to improve the geographical awareness of the pupils and, within maths lessons, to explain how coordinates work. Everyone is delighted.”
Learn more about Playtop visit www.playtop.com