Communities across
Buckinghamshire are being invited to take advantage of a scheme which
highlights the importance of outdoor play and encourages neighbours to spend
time socialising together, promoting the benefits for health and wellbeing in
all ages.
Play Streets invites residents
from communities across the county to apply for permission, free of charge, to
close their road for a few hours at a time so that they can come together
outside their homes to socialise, reduce social isolation and play safely. The
scheme is part of the national Playing Out initiative and has been running
successfully in Buckinghamshire for several years. Roads are closed to traffic
for the duration, but pedestrian access is allowed, and residents can enjoy
spending time together outside their homes.
Angela Macpherson,
Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said:
“Playing with friends outside your house is something many of us may remember
doing when we were younger, but it has become less popular in recent years.
Play Streets seeks to bring back that simple enjoyment and allow communities to
stop for a moment and spend some time together. It allows all generations, not
just children to get involved, helping to boost community spirit and
neighbourhood bonds.”
Play Streets is particularly
beneficial to children and young people in terms of their health and wellbeing
and for reducing social isolation for adults. Figures for Buckinghamshire show:
- Only 48% of
children and young people are reaching recommended activity levels of 60
minutes of activity per day.*
- Over 30% of
children aged 10-11 years old are above a healthy weight.*
- Children's
play is vital for happiness, physical and emotional development and social
learning.
- Levels of
loneliness rose more in Buckinghamshire than the national average during
the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly one quarter (24%) of adults felt lonely at
least some of the time in 2021.
Angela added: “Activities like
this have a positive impact on both our mental and physical health. Encouraging
children to play outside means they are getting exercise and moving around
rather than sitting down in-front of a screen, and for adults, we can spend so
much time caught up in day-to-day activities that we forget the boost you get
having a relaxed catch up with a neighbour, and the benefits that standing up
and moving around more can have.”
Many communities in
Buckinghamshire have run Play Streets sessions previously and have found it to
be both popular and beneficial. One resident commented: “The sense of community
is definitely the best thing about it.” A child who took part voiced the simple
pleasure that can be had by running an event. They said that the best part of
the session for them was, “riding my bike with no cars around.”
With summer months approaching,
communities are being encouraged to start applying now, to allow time for
planning and paperwork to be completed. For more information visit the website:
https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/community-and-safety/helping-your-community/organise-a-play-streets-session/
This project is part of the Opportunity
Bucks programme, helping to improve outcomes for people in Buckinghamshire.
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