THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN BENEFIT FROM PLAYSPACE SCHEME IN YORK (York Liberal Democrats)

York Liberal Democrats <info@yorklibdems.org.uk>

THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN BENEFIT FROM PLAYSPACE SCHEME IN YORK

October 2, 2009 12:00 AM

Over 2200 children from across York took part in mobile Playspace schemes this summer thanks to funding from Ward Committees that expanded the number of places available.

York Playspace is a charity that promotes Children's Play in and around the York and provides mobile play schemes for children aged 5 to 13 with a van full of sports equipment, arts and crafts and play equipment.

Heworth Without Ward Committee funded 10 mobile play sessions during the summer after local people chose providing activities for children as one of the top priorities for the Ward Committee.

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Heworth Without, Councillor Nigel Ayre said the sessions had proven popular. He said, "The workers from Playspace did a great job of providing a wide range of activities for the children. The feedback has been very positive, the arts and craft activities seem to have been especially popular."

"It is great that the Ward Committee can fund something which the children clearly enjoy a lot."

Councillor Ayre said activities for children and young people had been a clear priority for local people when allocating the Ward Committee budget.

He said, "The Ward Committee has also funded a number of other schemes and activities for children and young people in the ward, including street sport sessions, a mobile skate park and youth work sessions with the URBIE bus."

Councillor Ayre added that consultation would get underway soon on proposals for the next round of Ward Committee funded projects. He said, "The next edition of Your Ward will have information on projects that are bidding for Ward Committee funds next year."

"We will be asking people to give us their views on how the Ward Committee budget should be spent and the next Ward Committee meeting will feature a discussion about the proposals that have been submitted."