HomepageNews and eventsNorth West kids play away in Lottery’s £2.1m giveaway North West kids play away in Lottery’s £2.1m giveaway Tweet Print Area:North West EnglandProgramme:Childrens PlayRelease date:19 2 2007 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council is one of five councils in the North West to snap up a share of £2.1 million in grants, announced today from the Big Lottery Fund’s Children’s Play programme.A total of £12 million is being shared out between 32 local authorities in England, who will use the money to deliver projects that develop, create, improve and design innovative children’s play facilities. Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council are ready to take play on the road with their £694,606 grant, which will be used to fund a mobile play scheme delivering free play activities for local children. Play staff on the project will also train community members to run activities and ensure the long-term success of the programme. The grant will also fund the creation of eight play sites for 4-12 year olds, in areas where there is most need. Local children will play an active role in designing the sites by voting for the play equipment they want and visiting the sites during key construction stages to see how the play facilities are built. Cllr Linda Thomas, Executive Member for Children’s Services and Bolton's Play Champion, said: “We are delighted with the news that the council’s bid to the Big Lottery Fund’s Children’s Play programme has been successful. The funding will help us bring the most up-to-date and exciting facilities to some of the areas where we have identified the greatest need. “The council is committed to children’s play and this scheme will enhance the Play Area Strategy, which has already produced visible improvements at over ten locations across the borough. The grant will enable us to provide even greater opportunities for children in the borough to participate in physical activity and interactive play, which is crucial to a healthy and balanced life.” Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council is also gearing up for play, with the news of their £560,848 grant. The money will fund three projects to increase opportunities for play; improve health and physical well being of children and access to play for disabled children. Meanwhile, a £377,305 grant to Blackpool Council will help fund six projects to create new play facilities for children and young people, and employ play rangers on each site to develop opportunities for play. A £261,146 grant to Pendle Borough Council will help plug the play provision gap for 11-16 year olds and target local areas where additional play facilities are needed for 0-11year olds. And a £259,377 grant to Vale Royal Borough Council will fund three new play projects, the refurbishment of two play areas and the appointment of a part-time play-scheme co-ordinator who will expand provision in rural areas. Michelle McNamee, Head of North West region for the Big Lottery Fund, said: “This investment in play across the North West will benefit local children, their families and the community, at a time when the issue of child wellbeing is high on the agenda in the UK. Every child deserves the right to a fun childhood and play contributes positively to a child’s physical, emotional and social development. With the right play provision, we hope that people will feel confident to allow their children to play beyond the home and to enjoy the wealth of benefits that play brings.” The Big Lottery Fund’s Children’s Play programme has allocated £124 million to local authority areas, to help improve or develop play provision. To access the funding, local authorities have to develop appropriate play strategies and ensure they work in partnership with local agencies such as voluntary and community groups. Local authorities will use the funding to manage portfolios of local play projects across their areas. For a full list of the 32 awards from today’s announcement, please click here Further Information Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888Out of hours contact: 07867 500 572Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030Textphone: 845 6021 659Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk Notes to Editors The Big Lottery Fund will support children’s play with £155 million through: the £124 million Children’s Play programme, with funds available to every local authority area in England; a separate £16 million Playful Ideas programme focussing on innovation; and a £15 million grant to the Children’s Play Council, part of the National Children’s Bureau, to fund England-wide development and support. Under the Children’s Play programme, in deciding how best to allocate the available funds to each authority the Big Lottery Fund have allocated: 50 per cent of the funding on the basis of child population, and 50 per cent of the regional population living in the most deprived 20% of Super Output Areas included in the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004. The minimum amount allocated to any local authority is £200,000. Under Playful Ideas registered charities; voluntary or community groups; charitable or not-for-profit companies; social enterprises; and town and parish councils can apply. However, other organisations, such as schools, can work in partnership on Playful Ideas projects. The Big Lottery Fund awarded a grant to the Children’s Play Council a strategic alliance of organisations working to promote the importance of play and to stimulate better play opportunities. Play England - a project of the Children’s Play Council - lead on this work by helping agencies to develop play strategies and apply for Children's Play funding. For further information please visit www.ncb.org.uk The Big Lottery Fund rolls out close to £2 million in lottery good cause money every 24 hours, which together with other Lottery distributors means that across the UK most people are within a few miles of a Lottery-funded project. TagsBeneficiariesChildren Young people ThemesEducation, learning and skills Health and well-being Young People
Area:North West EnglandProgramme:Childrens PlayRelease date:19 2 2007 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council is one of five councils in the North West to snap up a share of £2.1 million in grants, announced today from the Big Lottery Fund’s Children’s Play programme.A total of £12 million is being shared out between 32 local authorities in England, who will use the money to deliver projects that develop, create, improve and design innovative children’s play facilities. Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council are ready to take play on the road with their £694,606 grant, which will be used to fund a mobile play scheme delivering free play activities for local children. Play staff on the project will also train community members to run activities and ensure the long-term success of the programme. The grant will also fund the creation of eight play sites for 4-12 year olds, in areas where there is most need. Local children will play an active role in designing the sites by voting for the play equipment they want and visiting the sites during key construction stages to see how the play facilities are built. Cllr Linda Thomas, Executive Member for Children’s Services and Bolton's Play Champion, said: “We are delighted with the news that the council’s bid to the Big Lottery Fund’s Children’s Play programme has been successful. The funding will help us bring the most up-to-date and exciting facilities to some of the areas where we have identified the greatest need. “The council is committed to children’s play and this scheme will enhance the Play Area Strategy, which has already produced visible improvements at over ten locations across the borough. The grant will enable us to provide even greater opportunities for children in the borough to participate in physical activity and interactive play, which is crucial to a healthy and balanced life.” Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council is also gearing up for play, with the news of their £560,848 grant. The money will fund three projects to increase opportunities for play; improve health and physical well being of children and access to play for disabled children. Meanwhile, a £377,305 grant to Blackpool Council will help fund six projects to create new play facilities for children and young people, and employ play rangers on each site to develop opportunities for play. A £261,146 grant to Pendle Borough Council will help plug the play provision gap for 11-16 year olds and target local areas where additional play facilities are needed for 0-11year olds. And a £259,377 grant to Vale Royal Borough Council will fund three new play projects, the refurbishment of two play areas and the appointment of a part-time play-scheme co-ordinator who will expand provision in rural areas. Michelle McNamee, Head of North West region for the Big Lottery Fund, said: “This investment in play across the North West will benefit local children, their families and the community, at a time when the issue of child wellbeing is high on the agenda in the UK. Every child deserves the right to a fun childhood and play contributes positively to a child’s physical, emotional and social development. With the right play provision, we hope that people will feel confident to allow their children to play beyond the home and to enjoy the wealth of benefits that play brings.” The Big Lottery Fund’s Children’s Play programme has allocated £124 million to local authority areas, to help improve or develop play provision. To access the funding, local authorities have to develop appropriate play strategies and ensure they work in partnership with local agencies such as voluntary and community groups. Local authorities will use the funding to manage portfolios of local play projects across their areas. For a full list of the 32 awards from today’s announcement, please click here Further Information Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888Out of hours contact: 07867 500 572Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030Textphone: 845 6021 659Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk Notes to Editors The Big Lottery Fund will support children’s play with £155 million through: the £124 million Children’s Play programme, with funds available to every local authority area in England; a separate £16 million Playful Ideas programme focussing on innovation; and a £15 million grant to the Children’s Play Council, part of the National Children’s Bureau, to fund England-wide development and support. Under the Children’s Play programme, in deciding how best to allocate the available funds to each authority the Big Lottery Fund have allocated: 50 per cent of the funding on the basis of child population, and 50 per cent of the regional population living in the most deprived 20% of Super Output Areas included in the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004. The minimum amount allocated to any local authority is £200,000. Under Playful Ideas registered charities; voluntary or community groups; charitable or not-for-profit companies; social enterprises; and town and parish councils can apply. However, other organisations, such as schools, can work in partnership on Playful Ideas projects. The Big Lottery Fund awarded a grant to the Children’s Play Council a strategic alliance of organisations working to promote the importance of play and to stimulate better play opportunities. Play England - a project of the Children’s Play Council - lead on this work by helping agencies to develop play strategies and apply for Children's Play funding. For further information please visit www.ncb.org.uk The Big Lottery Fund rolls out close to £2 million in lottery good cause money every 24 hours, which together with other Lottery distributors means that across the UK most people are within a few miles of a Lottery-funded project. TagsBeneficiariesChildren Young people ThemesEducation, learning and skills Health and well-being Young People