Thought I would bring this back up to the front page. Below is the press realease for the event. Hope to see you all there.CHILDREN IN BRENTFORD CELEBRATE PLAYDAY 2007!Playday, the annual celebration of children’s right to play, takes place on Wednesday 1 August 2007. This year’s theme – Our streets too! highlights that children want and need to play in their local streets and that play-friendly streets are beneficial to the whole community. Hundreds of fantastic events will be taking place across the UK. To celebrate this year’s theme local communities are organising street parties and free events in local parks and venues. Previous years’ Playday events have included thousands of children splashing about in the fountains in Trafalgar Square, to master classes in den building and mud pies in local parks.In Brentford, Playday will be happening at the Great Brentford Picnic on Wednesday 1st August in St Paul’s Recreation Ground, Brentford from 12noon to 4pm. The event has been organised in partnership between West Play, Soul in Brentford and the Children’s Fund Participation officer. The event has been funded from a grant from the Brentford and Chiswick Extended School’s cluster.Free attractions on offer will include, build your own cardboard street with the CiP play team (from 2pm), traditional street games, drumming workshop, scavenger hunt, arts and crafts including sock puppet making, decorate a picture frame and key ring and get to take them home, bouncy castle, Brentford Toy Library will be organising an under 5’s area, London Fire Brigade (from 2pm), Safer Neighbourhood Team, LBH Road Safety Team and Brentford Football Club Community Sports Trust’s positive futures team will be there with a variety of sports activities. We ask that people bring their own picnic but are pleased to announce that the Open House Café based at St Paul’s Church will be providing refreshments for sale on the day.To mark Playday 2007 Play England will release research on street play that considers the benefits and barriers to children playing in their neighbourhoods. They will also be asking children and young people about their opportunities to play out. ‘The space to play and the freedom that children have to enjoy it has diminished to the point that many children are effectively being raised in captivity. They are missing out on the childhood experiences that form many adults’ happiest memories - long summer days building dens in the woods, climbing trees, riding bikes up and down the street or just going off to the park with friends,’ said Adrian Voce, director of Play England. ‘Too many children have nowhere to play out. We must all – the government, local authorities and the public – take responsibility for changing this.
Luke Kirton ● 6522d