Playground Appeal 2008
The Goodyear Playground Appeal 2008 has now closed. We have had a number of worthy entries into the competition to have their worn out playground transformed into a fabulous new fun zone, with the help of Goodyear using recycled old tyres. Visit us soon to vote for the playground that you want to receive a £10,000 makeover.
Click on the images below to view your 2008 finalists.
Newcastle Emlyn
This is the only playground in the Newcastle Emlyn area and yet it is not council owned or managed. It has been run by a voluntary committee for the last 28 years and raising sufficient finds is always difficult. The equipment is old and has been criticised for being dangerous. It desperately needs a cash injection & makeover in order to continue to exist. If the playground is condemned there will be no playground facilities in the area. This playground desperately needs your help!
Mornington Road, Bingley
Small tarmac playground, extremely underdeveloped. PTA has raised funds to improve Key Stage 2 playground and are trying now to raise funds to improve Key Stage 1 so the younger children can enjoy the same benefits as the older children at a critical stage in development. Nursery building improved in 2007 resulting in even more damage to the playground surface. School is situated in built-up urban area with the local park some distance away, across 2 major roads.
Rose Ave, Tolladine, Worcester
This is a small site in Tolladine, Worcester to which the Goodyear prize could make a BIG difference. When the council sold their housing stock, they sold this site too but it was in such a bad state of repair that it had to be shut down. At the moment local children don't have anywhere on their estate to play. A group of kids have put a petition together and have gone to the local paper. I work for the housing association that owns the site, it's my job to liaise with the children and help them to get the play area they want. The only problem is that at the moment, we don't have enough money yet to complete the job so we are working together to try end raise enough to get it done. The Goodyear funding could be the answer to all our prayers. Please consider us.
Buckford Lane, Findern
This playground is a stopping point for many children going to and from Findern Primary School. Many years ago now the A50 was built through Findern which meant the village was split between the main village and school, and the already long walk to school made a little longer for the children, this playground is a great place en route for the children to stop and play for ten minutes on the way to or on the way back from school - I have used it as a bribe many times! But it has changed very little since I was at the school thirty years ago, in fact the equipment is still the same - minus a slide. All that has ever been replaced is the seats on swings and new surface - even that is now going back many years. It is a lovely little park, and the council have been trying to get some funding to update the equipment, but costs cannot be stretched that far. It would be a great benefit to all the children of Findern - please consider this request. Thank you.
Atkinson Road Primary School, Benwell, Newcastle NE4 8XT
Atkinson Road Primary is an old Victorian School in the heart of one of the most deprived areas in Newcastle. The wind blows across the West Yard and there is very little for the children to do despite a great effort to improve all the yards. There is no shelter or climbing frame and the children (aged 6 - 9) struggle to keep happily occupied. Many of these children have very little at home or at school, and they are greatly appreciative of whatever they are given, however small. They deserve the very best and would be so happy if they won a playground makeover.
Abbotsweld Primary School, Harlow
The school is in a socially deprived area, in of the top 20% of deprived schools. (Soa5) The PTA have raised money and revamped the infant playground but this has taken over 10years. The junior playground needs an update. The children need stimulation and motivation. The equipment shed has been broken into,The fencing is unsecure and pagoda(sun shelter) often vandalised. The PTA are still fundraising, but it's difficult to ask for money from people who just haven't got it! Any prize/donation/grant is appreciated by the staff,parents and children.
Wanstead, London
As reported in the local paper: "Parents have long campaigned for the park to be cleaned up and modernised", "A rusting climbing frame was recently removed from the park by the council, after it was found to be unsafe." "There are also bits of broken glass embedded in the ground around some of the equipment, which children could cut themselves on." Although the council has agreed to put in some funds, I'm sure they would be thrilled if they didn't have to! The area is also one of Ken Livingstone's target areas for new housing, so there are a huge number of developments in progress, and any improvement in the facilities for the new residents would be, I'm sure, very popular.
Brookside Estate, High lane village, Stockport
We deserve a makeover because it took years for us to get funding for an infant playground and now we are begging, fighting, working hard to try and get something, anything for our children over the age of seven. We do have a basket ball pole with no concrete base, and a undrained 5 aside football pitch. But it's a fantastic location. It would be great to see the older children out and about keeping occupied on equipment and just having fun through play. It would really pull the community together as it is divided by a main trunk road called the A6.
