An Urban Adventure on offer this summer for the children of Coventry
14 July 2010
It’s going to be an exciting summer of exploration and adventure for the children of Coventry this year with the introduction of Groundwork West Midlands Urban Explorer play project.
Urban Explorers is a new project aimed at involving children and their families in free and exciting outdoor play activities in the Spon End, Stoke Heath, Edgewick and Paradise areas of the city.
The play events on offer this summer all have an environmental or nature theme and will include: den building, mini beast safaris, natural art attack and scavenger hunts. They are taking place in the following parks and green spaces:
Edgewick Park
5th August, 12-3pm
13th August,12-3pm
Spon End
6th August - green spaces on estate, 1-4pm
9th August - Sovereign park, 1-4pm
Paradise, Red house Park
10th August, 1-4pm
19th August, 1-4pm
Stoke Heath
17th August - Morris Common, 1-4pm
25th August - Barras Heath, 1-4pm
No booking is required for these events. Children should come wearing suitable clothing and footwear for outdoor activities e.g. old clothes, long-sleeved tops/trousers, waterproofs, sturdy shoes, warm weather clothing if it is cold, sun tan lotion if it’s sunny. For further information about these events please contact Michelle Brodie at Groundwork West Midlands on 01676 524 320.
Urban Explorers is a 3 year project and over the course of the next 3 years there will be a series of different play events and activities on offer in local parks and green spaces including: after-school clubs, day time clubs, taster sessions and holiday play events, as well as training courses for parents and volunteers interested in learning how to run their own outdoor play activities.
Urban Explorers Project Co-ordinator Michelle Brodie said:
“This is a really fun project to be part of. Children are often not allowed the freedom to play outdoors as their parents were. Through our summer play days we are teaching children lots of new fun activities and games that they can play outdoors.”
Groundwork West Midlands have been awarded over £161,000 to run the Urban Explorers project by Natural England as part of their Access to Nature programme which is funded by £25m from the Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme. The project is also being supported by Coventry City Council and local Sure Start Children's Centres.
Peter Loat, Natural England`s Access to Nature Regional Adviser said:
"As a result of this grant, a greater number of children and adults from diverse backgrounds will have the opportunity to participate in nature based activities. This will give them the skills to appreciate, use and take ownership of natural places on their doorstep."
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Press Enquiries
For further information please contact :
Michelle Brodie, Urban Explorers Project Co-ordinator,
Tel: 01676 524 320/07818 198 328, e-mail: michelle.brodie@groundwork.org.uk
Peter Loat, Natural England Tel: 0300 060 3946/07769 641 550 e-mail: peter.w.loat@naturalengland.org.uk
Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888
Notes to Editors
Groundwork West Midlands
Groundwork West Midlands is an environmental charity that works alongside the community to transform places and lives
Photo opportunities available at all events listed above, please contact Michelle Brodie (details above) to arrange a date and time.
Natural England
- Access to Nature is run by Natural England and is part of the The Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme launched in November 2005 to help communities enjoy and improve their local environments.
- Natural England manages this £25 million Lottery-funded programme on behalf of a consortium of twelve national environmental organisations comprising BTCV, British Waterways, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, Greenspace, Groundwork UK, Land Restoration Trust, The National Trust, Natural England, RSPB, the Wildlife Trusts and the Woodland Trust.
- Through this programme, it is Natural England’s ambition to create opportunities for people from all backgrounds to have greater access to our natural environment and bring a lasting change to their awareness and understanding as well as improved links to the natural world, which many of us can take for granted.
- For further information about Access to Nature visit www.naturalengland.org.uk/accesstonature
- For further information about the Big Lottery Fund, its programmes and awards visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
