The team behind Hackney Playbus has raised more than £30,000 to build a new travelling play centre to provide free support to the borough’s children and families.
A double-decker, the brightly coloured Hackney Playbus has been on the road since 1972, visiting different parts of Hackney to provide play and learning opportunities for children aged up to four-years-old.
Last March due to Covid-19 restrictions, the service was halted. Then the bus then had to be taken off the road completely because the original 1999 vehicle failed to comply with the Low Emission Zone Euro VI standards that came into effect in March 2021.
Clapton Trustree, for the Hackney Playbus, Emma Bridge, 49, said:
“We deliver Playbus sessions in the local community, parking [it] in housing estates or in nearby parks to give families a safe place to play, which is especially important for families living in cramped or overcrowded conditions.”
Run by a number of paid playworkers and volunteers, the team developed remote services over lockdown, including online play sessions and arranging access to essentials like nappies and food.
More on this story at the Hackney Gazette.