The new natural forest playground at West Walk Woodland, near Wickham, was opened in time for half term. Suitable for children and young people of all ages, it has a huge oak tree house, wooden playhouses, wigwams, sand pit, climbing wall, bridge and shingle stream.
The natural playground is part of the Big Lottery Funded, It’s Okay to Play project set up in partnership between Winchester City Council and the Forestry Commission. The council has cited this playground as an example of excellence for children’s play projects in Winchester.
Unlike traditional playgrounds, trees from the forest feature along with rocks, grassy mounds and hedges to hide behind or explore. Designed to attract local families to the woods, it is free of charge and provides a way to encourage children to take an interest in the wider woodland environment.
To celebrate the official launch of the playground the Forestry Commission is hosting a free Halloween family fun day between 10am and 3pm on Saturday 31 October at West Walk.
It’s Okay to Play is dedicated to provide children of all ages with more opportunities for adventure, to explore risk and challenge. Play in woodlands, trees and natural green spaces also promotes health and wellbeing, knowledge and understanding, creativity and capacity to learn and so is essential to the council’s planning strategy.
Emily Weller, Community Project Officer, said:
“It’s an adventurous and challenging play area with spaces to run, hide, climb and explore. With the smell of the pine trees and the rough look and feel of the rugged terrain it’s a really different experience. We hope it whets the appetite for imaginative play in the forest and trying more activities like den building and climbing trees.”
It is hoped that over time this playground will encourage children of all ages to visit the wider forest and woodland landscape for adventurous and challenging free play.
Councillor John Cooper, Deputy Leader of the Winchester authority and Portfolio Holder for Communities said:
"This is a very unique playground for Winchester and has so much to offer local children. 'It's OK to Play' is about giving children a ‘hands on’ experience of the natural environment, that will leave behind fond memories and a life long love of forests and woodlands".
"We also recognise the importance of children learning through play and the forest playground does not instil habit so much as inspire creativity and imagination with the changing seasons, weather and variable landscape. It also allows children to face a reasonable amount of risk and challenge through adventure and exploration.”
Teenagers from the Swanmore College of Technology, the nearest school to the project at West Walk, were consulted as part of the project and design process.
Emily Weller, said of the consultation:
“The teenagers were far too ‘grown up’ to be interested in discussing ideas about the play equipment at West Walk to begin with. But, it was amazing to see how they visibly changed after a few hours of fun in the forest. They became children again, with lots of ideas, full of enthusiasm and excitement. This is what we have seen time and again with kids in the forest, once engaged they love it.”
This is the first of four new natural and sustainable play sites in woodland areas to be introduced by the It’s Okay To Play Project. It will increase the overall play ‘offer’ available around the district for children and young people across the board including those with disabilities and social disadvantage.
At the free family fun day on Saturday 31 October between 10am and 3pm there’s the opportunity to have fun in the woods, make monstrous masks, broomsticks and other creepy creations to take home. There will also be spooky stories especially for Halloween. All ages are welcome and activities are free but booking is recommended to avoid disappointment.
The new natural playground at West Walk Wood, is located next to the car park and toilets at the Hundred Acre Road entrance to the woodland. West Walk is part of the Forest of Bere and just a mile from Wickham. For further information or to book a Halloween activity contact Emily Weller, Community Project Officer at the Forestry on 01962 774883 or email itsokaytoplay@forestry.gov.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. A recent American study confirmed that natural ‘green’ play settings improved children’s concentration; children with ADD were found to function better than usual after playing in the natural environment and woodland settings.
2. Its Okay to Play is a partnership between the Forestry Commission and Winchester City Council that will aim to increase children’s enjoyment, activity and involvement in natural environments. The three year project began in June 2008 and has been granted £200,000 in funding through the BIG Lottery Fun Childrens Play Programme to help support it.
3. Forestry Commission England is the government department responsible for protecting, expanding and promoting the sustainable management of woods and forests and increasing their value to society and the environment. Forestry makes a real contribution to sustainable development, providing social and environmental benefits arising from planting and managing attractive, as well as productive, woodlands. For further information visit www.forestry.gov.uk/england
For more information please contact:
Emily Weller Nick Hazlitt
Community Project Officer Project Manager [It’s Okay to Play]
Forestry Commission Forestry Commission
Tel: 01962 774883 Tel: 01962 795079
email: emily.weller@forestry.gov.uk Mobile: 07788497950
email: nick.hazlitt@forestry.gov.uk