Local parks and the playgrounds within them are essential for the community. They help children to get vital time outdoors in nature, whilst they exercise their bones and muscles climbing and clambering, enhance their mind with imaginative play, socialise and otherwise let off steam in a safe environment.
A new playground is all well and good, but what happens when it starts to lose its shine? What happens when more of the equipment has been removed or placed out of bounds than what’s left working? What happens when the playground is more derelict than fun, and the local kids just don’t get as much out of it as they did before?
The good news is that there is a lot you can do. It isn’t a case of accepting that there once ‘was’ a nice park – there can be a nice, exciting playground with the local park again, it just takes a little bit of proactivity on your part.
So… Why Is The Playground In A State Of Disrepair?
It may not be your local council that is in charge of your local public playground, but the chances are, it is. The problem is that they have to invest their own funding in lots of different places across the county and there is rarely enough money to go around. A newspaper headline recently stated that many councils are on the brink of bankruptcy and there is a collective shortfall of £2.4 billion in budgets this year alone.
Of course, you can approach them and ask if there is room to consider upgrades/ repairs at any point, but if the money isn’t available there isn’t much they can do at the moment. There is, however, a lot that you can do….
Raising Money For Your Local Public Playground
You could ask the council if it is possible for you to raise money for the local playground. In some instances they may agree to have the work done if you raise the funds, and some might match the funds you manage to raise. The first step is getting a quote from a professional playground equipment supplier like Sovereign Play Equipment. They can assess the playground and recommend resurfacing, any playground markings that could benefit the space, fencing and of course, the all important equipment.
As the UK’s leading playground equipment supplier, you can trust you’re in good hands when you get a quote from them. This quote can be taken to the council, and it can also be utilised for grant applications and other ways of raising money, which we’ll discuss below:
General Fundraising
You can look at general ways of fundraising, like table top sales, car boots, sponsored walks, cake sales and raffles. There are also options like crowdfunding, which has so far collectively raised over $730 million US dollars globally for different projects. If you have a goal in mind, you can let everybody know the funding goal and how much closer you are to reaching it with each event. The whole community can get behind the cause and work hard to get that all important funding goal reached.
Grants & Funding
There are a huge range of different grants and funding opportunities for you to apply to for the playground, including; the Big Lottery Fund, Awards for All, Tesco Charity Trust Community Awards and Easy Fundraising. It could well be worth applying to one or more of these funds if the project meets their criteria.
Sponsored Donations
Some local businesses and organisations may well be willing to donate to the playground in return for advertising. This can be a really great way to get it repaired or improved, especially if the company only wants a mention at a grand re-opening or something similar and doesn’t require branded signage or anything as extensive as that.
Proactivity On Your Part Could Help You Get A New Playground For Your Park
Realistically, you might not be able to do any of the above depending on what your council has to say about the playground and getting it upgraded. It depends on the laws around the playground and who is actively in charge of its upkeep. The first step is to approach your council for more information, as well as a trusted playground equipment company like Sovereign Play Equipment for information on funding and a quote.
Hopefully, with your proactivity and the cooperation of your local council the kids in your neighbourhood will soon have a beautiful, fun, upgraded playground to enjoy for many years to come.
