The Play England Free Time Consortium, a group of 17 local and specialist play organisations, is re-launching the Love Outdoor Play campaign, first introduced in 2010 to highlight the importance of outdoor play in the community.
The £2m from the Government’s Big Society Fund will be used to help drive support from communities and encourage them to help make their neighbourhoods places where children can play outside.
Previous research by Play England revealed that just 21 per cent of children play outdoors every day near their home, compared to 71 per cent of their parents when they were children. Also, that one third of children say they have never built a den, 32 per cent never climbed a tree, and one in ten have never ridden a bike.
As part of the campaign, more than 20,000 volunteering opportunities are being created by the consortium’s local voluntary sector groups across England for members of the community who want to make a difference to children’s play experiences.
Volunteering opportunities will include helping to run holiday play schemes or build new play spaces. Professionals are also invited to help their local play organisation with their business.
Catherine Prisk, director of Play England, said, ‘Playing outside, chalking on the pavement, climbing trees and riding bike are simple pleasures that many of today’s children are missing out on.
‘Play is essential for children's health and happiness now, and is also essential for making friends, building key skills for the future and for feeling you are part of a community.
‘The Love Outdoor Play Campaign – backed up by real opportunities offered by local organisations across the country – will make it easy for everyone to get involved in making England a place where children once more have the freedom to play outside every day after school and in the holidays.’
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