Play Gloucestershire wins Playwork Award!

Forget the Oscars, because last night at the 9th Annual Playwork Awards our innovative Play Nurture work won the ‘Playwork in Other Contexts’ award!

We are ecstatic that this project has been recognised by our peers in the playwork sector (practitioners and educators alike). We were up against some amazing projects (all doing their thing to push the play agenda far and wide) and were chuffed to be shortlisted, so to win it last night is a great and humbling feeling.

Our Play Nurture work provides vulnerable children with the time and space to take part in child-led outdoor play and benefit from its restorative and healing qualities. Play Nurture is our way of providing help for children who need more support than our community play gatherings can offer. Play Nurture helps children to cope better with adversity, grow resilience, have improved emotional wellness, and increased social connections.

Don’t just take our word for it, here are just some comments from those that have benefited from this unique play offer…

Children:

“The Play Rangers here are very supportive and nurturing. They nurture us like we’re newborns. It’s just so good that we don’t want it to end”. Boy,10

“Play Nurture helps me with my anxiety and I know I can trust you and come here and be myself. I feel safe”. Girl, 14

Head Teacher:

“Play Nurture has helped children find healthy ways to cope with the stresses and strains of life. Their emotional wellbeing has visibly improved as has their engagement in learning. Thank you to the whole Play Gloucestershire Team”.

Foster Carer:

“Play is a release. There was a lot going on that was worrying her and I could see her thinking she could go to Play Nurture, forget about all that stuff for a whole day, there wasn’t going to be a social worker phoning me up, she was able to go and enjoy some adventures with the Rangers”.