Help | Site Index | Site Map | Printer Friendly Version | Change Contrast
We are pleased to present a Play and Free-time Strategy for the Borough of Oldham, to promote play opportunities and initiatives over the next three years. While ‘play’ may sometimes be seen as less important than ‘work’ or ‘education’, there is a growing recognition nationally that when children are allowed the time and space to create their own activities in their own way, the benefits are immense – imagination and creativity, social and problem solving skills, physical exercise and relaxation, learning about the environment and nature, and much more.
And of course, we all have our own childhood memories of playing on a beach, games in the street, being out in woodlands and fields – for many these were some of the best times!
The Borough of Oldham already has a great deal of successful activity in the area of play and free-time activity. There are a wealth of opportunities for children, young people and their families to enjoy themselves in playgrounds, parks and open country spaces, and there are a host of organisations, particularly in the voluntary sector, that provide children with the chance to enjoy play opportunities.
Oldham’s Play and Free-time Strategy sets out a plan to promote the value and benefits of play for all children in the Borough of Oldham – as we don’t tend to think of teenagers ‘playing’ in their spare time, this Strategy also includes a focus on unstructured free-time activities for young people. Of course, the Strategy aims to include all children and young people, and it is the barriers that prevents some children from making the most of play opportunities that we will aim to address.
The Oldham Play and Free-time Strategy has been put together by a multi-agency Play Partnership, through consultation with a wide range of agencies and most importantly with children, young people and their families. This has been stimulated by financial support from the Big Lottery Fund that will be used to expand on current provision through a three-year programe.
You can view the Oldham play and free-time Strategy
View the play programme for Spring 2009