After last week’s e-zine piece on Children’s Play, we received this contribution from Alan Lukehurst, Community Outreach Manager, Exeter.

Based on a successful three year BIG Lottery funding bid, Exeter appointed a Play Ranger team of three workers to cover four areas of need in the city – offering a continuous programme of one session a week, within specified spaces in each of the four designated areas. There are extra sessions in holiday periods.

The project will build local links to community associations, children’s centres, city/county council and local people in order to create a safe play environment.

Working in parks, open spaces and valley parks the Rangers will look to:

- introduce creative outdoor play activities - build young peoples’ self-confidence and enjoyment in playing playing where and when they want to

- involving the young people in designing the programme itself - encouraging local young people to volunteer their assistance or to train as future Rangers.

This exciting new programme will create free cost, free access, practical, outdoor, safe and exciting and citywide play opportunities; and will enable young people confidently to engage with their environment.

AND - Exeter looks to employ a Community Artist for ‘Free Play City’ to run a citywide programme of creative, playful, open access, activity based sessions - to encourage the use of play spaces and creativity.

AND - Exeter’s Active play provision will encompass:

- outdoor workshops with dramatic, games based play - a local games reference book

- safe playful routes - design of new, fun ways to access parts of the city, play spaces and cycle trails, or Green walks through the creation of story, historic, treasure or fun trails and maps to go with them - ‘Creation of Information’ workshops, with inventive ways to design and make local play opportunities - leading to information leaflets, website, youth guide or display outlets

- play based workshops looking at the dramatic and artistic use of Free play process, through long term group work.

For more information, contact Alan Lukehurst on 01392 265876 or via www.exeter.gov.uk

Photograph: istock.com