Playday – the first Wednesday in August – is 25 years old this year. For a quarter of a century, the UK has marked Playday by a celebration of children’s right to play, as proclaimed by the United Nations.
York has been active for many years in celebrating Playday. In this special year for the city, City of York Council and local organisations will be linking their Playday activities to the York 800 celebrations. Children have been playing in York ever since the city existed – which means the city can now celebrate at least eight centuries of play!
A clutch of exciting events have already been planned in York, but more are needed for Playday to reach families in all parts of the city. Co-ordinators are appealing to all children’s and youth organisations, community groups and even just families and neighbours in York to organise their own local Playday event.
Spokesman Mark Gladwin said: “It doesn’t have to be anything complicated. Why not just get together with your neighbours and organise some games and a picnic at your local park or play area on Wednesday 1st August? We’ve seen during the Diamond Jubilee what fun neighbours can have when they get together – it would be great if that spirit can keep going for the sake of children’s play on Playday”.
Free children’s Playday events already planned on or around Wednesday 1st August include:
• Indoor sports with New Earswick Indoor Bowls Club and York City Football in the Community
• 800 Minutes of Play with Door 84 Youth Club and SNAPPY
• Outdoor fun and games with York Playspace at Bishopthorpe (Acaster Lane) and Rowntree Park
• Games in the Park with City of York Council Sport and Active Leisure team at West Bank, Acomb
• Construct a giant “800” with Friends of Rowntree Park
• Start the Summer Holidays with Hurst Hall Community Centre, Strensall, and New Earswick Children’s Centre
• Bring the Seaside to Town with York Danceworks
• Visit the Kingdom of Neversleep with Adrian Spendlow at Acomb Explore
• Knights, Dragons and Princesses with Richard Kay at York Explore
For details of times, dates and venues of planned Playday events in York, please call Tim Waudby on 01904 553426.
For advice about setting up your own Playday event, please contact Mark Gladwin on 07766 475952.