An innovative project aimed at supporting children has been shortlisted for the ‘Children & Young People Now’ award, which rewards people and organisations for the outstanding work they do to improve the lives of children and young people.
Nominated in ‘The Play Award’ category, the Go Play Sandwell Partnership offers free play sessions to children aged 5-12 at the weekends and during school holidays.
The initiative was put together by Sandwell Council’s Play Service, Groundworks West Midlands and the Murray Hall Community Trust and has expanded to provide much more than just play sessions.
Over the past couple of years, the Go Play Sandwell project has developed a number of initiatives to help enhance the lives of local children, including digital play sessions, creating adventure maps in green spaces, and delivering 3,500 play packs to local homes.
They’ve also been responsible for leaving ‘fairy doors’ in woods, painted stones in parks and etching out hopscotch grids to encourage spontaneous games.
Councillor Simon Hackett, Sandwell’s cabinet member for children and education, said: “This is fantastic news. The nomination recognises the hard work of the partnership, and I’d like to congratulate everyone involved.
“Giving children the opportunity to play is an important part of their development. The work being done by the Go Play Sandwell Partnership shows our commitment to providing free, accessible and local play opportunities for the benefit of thousands of children across Sandwell.”
The Children & Young People Now awards are in their 17th year and have become the gold standard for people and organisations working with children and families.
The award ceremony takes place in London on 24 November when the Go Play Sandwell Partnership will discover whether they scooped this prestigious award.