London adventure playground of the year award 2008
The winner of the 2008 London Adventure Playground of the Year Award was Somerford Grove Adventure Playground, Tottenham. Runners-up: Honor Oak Adventure Playground, Brockley and Slade Gardens Adventure Playground, Stockwell.
Local children nominate their adventure playground, and this is what children said when putting forward Somerford Grove:
"I've learnt how to build things and how I can help others" boy, 15
"I've learnt how to share. If you have friends you do team work with hammers" boy, 9
"You got fun playworkers and we do fun things and everybody gets along with the playworker" girl, 14
"My favourite thing is the big swing 'cos I can do it from the top and I was the first to do it of the girls" girl, 13
Children from lasts year's winning playground (Glamis Road, Tower Hamlets) were on the Panel of Judges who visited all short-listed adventure playgrounds and made the selection. The celebration takes place on 9 October 2008 at the Unicorn Theatre.
Somerford Grove Adventure Playground is run by Haringey Play Association. Nick Jackson, Director of Haringey Play Association, welcomed the news:
"We are thrilled and excited to have been chosen as this year's winner of the London Play Adventure Playground of the Year Award. Even though we believe that the best playground for children is the one that is closest to them, we feel this award endorses our ethos of putting children and young people at the heart of the project. They have been involved in the design and construction of the playground from the very beginning, and continue to adapt, change and influence the playground environment on a daily basis."
