PROJECT: Play on Estates
FUNDER: Tower Hamlets council
DATES: August 2022 – September 2024
London Play is working with residents in the borough of Tower Hamlets to occupy and animate spaces on housing estates by supporting regular sessions for children and adults to come together to have fun, play or just chat!
London Play is working with Tower Hamlets council to jump start play estates all over the borough. Many estates have underused spaces that with a bit of inspiration, occupation and coordination have huge potential to become seen as vibrant welcoming places where the community enjoys coming together. Play on Estates is just the beginning.
Over the winter and spring the focus has been on getting to know residents and getting the message out but as the summer looms, the action is hotting up!
In spring the London Play team joined in with British Street Estate’s fantastic Coronation Day celebrations to chat to residents about getting started playing out on their estate. With help from the staff at the Bernie Cameron Centre, we are really pleased to see residents getting ready to run their first play estate session on 25 July. To kick start the fun we have given them our ‘fun starter play pack’ – including a volleyball net, giant beach balls, water squirters and more.
In July the London Play team was at Well One’s Summer Festival at Chrisp Street E14 to spread the word to local residents about how we can support them to bring the whole community together by scheduling regular play sessions on their estate. It was great to meet so many keen residents at this lively and fun event. Well One are running free festivals throughout the summer in Tower Hamlets: https://wellone.co.uk/healthy-living/summer-of-wellbeing-2023/
If you live on estate in Tower Hamlets and would like to start your own play estate session (and would like a free play pack to help it along!), please contact Catherine catherine@londonplay.org.uk
