Broxbourne Play & Free Time Strategy

Play is of fundamental importance for children and young people's health and well being, and their relationships, development and learning. 

The Council has therefore developed The Broxbourne Play and Free Time Strategy for 0 to 19 year olds, in partnership with the Broxbourne Children's Trust Partnership.

Issues to do with young people's free time, particularly those gathering, is a priority issue for residents and therefore the name of the strategy included free time because the word 'play' was perceived to be more appropriate for younger children.  The draft strategy and its action plan has been consulted and endorsed by the Broxbourne Children Trust Partnership and the partnership will now adopt and monitor delivery of the action plan by incorporating it into its own local Children's Trust Partnership Plan Priority play and free time needs / gaps identified in the strategy include:

- More good quality facilities and activities for young people

- Feeling safer in play areas and parks,

- Supervision in parks and play areas

- Decreasing opportunities for natural play (climbing trees, water play, making dens, playing outside)

- The lack of good play opportunities for children with disabilities and their siblings. 

The strategy action plan identified a range of tasks designed to better address these needs, and included a portfolio of play projects which were subsequently taken forward in a successful bid to the Big Lottery Children's Play Fund for £200,000.

The Big Lottery bid projects include:

- Let's GO Play Events - delivering a programme of 10 natural play events in three of the Borough's most naturalised parks, as well as a series of outreach community play events in Wormley, Holdbrook (WX), Rosedale and Rye Park.

- Lets GO Play Rangers  - Play Rangers running a weekly programme of Lets Go Play sessions in the Borough's key parks and open spaces to help children and young people feel safer and to increase positive use of existing play areas and facilities/ activities.

- Lets ALL GO Play – Providing new inclusive equipment at Barclay Park and Cheshunt Park play areas to provide more accessible play for the Borough's disabled and special needs children and their siblings.