Promoting the right to play
Although naturally disappointed by the £5m cut in revenue funding for play and the possibility of further losses from the £75m play capital grant – the API welcomes the announcement of the Task Force, chaired by David Cameron with the five strands related to children and families. The API is particularly pleased to see that play forms one of the strands and hopes that the Task Force considers the positive impact previous funding into play has had within local communities.
The API in its role as a trade association represents the interests of its Members and their trade sector. It understands the importance of preserving funding for children’s play for children, families and communities.
In a recent *pilot survey of community-based play development projects conducted on 
behalf of the API the findings were revealing: “The energy, enthusiasm and discovered empowerment by communities and community groups came surging down the phone line when those at the grass roots were asked what their new play area has done for their locality”.
Initial examples show that playgrounds and play areas in parks have a very important roll for community cohesion. Moreover, where communities have engaged in ensuring their own play area and park are refurbished, new community spirit has emerged and the community has found it has become its own version of the ‘big society’ even before the term was coined.
Communities’ latent potential, amazing passion, energy and enthusiasm surface when they get together to do things themselves. And they amaze themselves. Around the country, examples of new or refurbished play area schemes illustrate how a relatively small amount of playground funding can have a hugely positive impact helping community development. Rural or urban, low income or well heeled, for all communities play has an immediate and long term value and contribution far exceeding its relative small one-time costs.
The API is not alone in promoting the benefits of sustained investment. So far an on-line initiative has surfaced with a website and a Facebook page. The website: www.savetheplayground.co.uk is showing further concerns for the recent announcements. It invites the public to send an e-mail from the site to The Prime Minister to withdraw the threat to Playbuilder funding.
To illustrate the benefit of play to communities and building on the recent survey, the API will be publishing a range of example case studies from around the country illustrating how a relatively small amount of playground funding can have a huge positive impact helping community development.
While cutbacks and economies are undeniably essential, the API is energetically pointing out to government that relatively small investment of a few tens of thousands of pounds here and there makes a huge difference, last for years and has an immediate positive impact. For any government, that is a win-win which must be attractive for its positive impact on communities.
*Pilot qualitative survey conducted by Media & Marketing Services in June 2010 for the API within its Membership, their customers and the grassroots community contacts who made things happen.More: www.api-play.org