FREE summer kickabout sessions for local young people

Over the summer holidays York City FC Foundation is running a series of free kickabout sessions for young people in west York from 4 to 13 years of age.

The sessions, which are funded by the ward committees of Westfield, Dringhouses & Woodthorpe and Micklegate wards, will be held on Chesneys Field, Woodthorpe Green and the Knavesmire.

Details of the dates and times of the sessions – and links to the websites to use to book a place – are set out below.

Click HERE to book a place at Woodthorpe Green

Click HERE to book a place at Chesneys Field

Click HERE to book a place at the Knavesmire

Applications for York play projects invited

Community groups are invited to apply to City of York Council’s Better Play Grant, which provides funding to organisations that deliver play opportunities for children and young people in York.


In the new financial year, £87,000 will be shared between projects of between one and three year’s duration, and which address the priorities highlighted in the York Taking Play Forward policy. In the current Community Play programme, four organisations are delivering projects until the end of March 2015.

To qualify, applicants for the 2015-18 funding must be a constituted voluntary organisation, or a community organisation with policies and operating procedures in place which are appropriate for working with children and young people. Successful applicants will also be required to register their organisation on the YorOK Service Directory.

Anyone wishing to talk through a project or idea in more detail before applying can contact Tim Waudby on 01904 553426 email: tim.waudby@york.gov.ukor Mary Bailey 551812 email: mary.bailey@york.gov.uk
Application forms and guidance can be down loaded from www.yor-ok.org.uk/play and must be submitted before the deadline of 13 March 2015.

Woodlands play area may reopen this week

Rowntrees promise early action

Rowntrees play area

87% of residents saythat they would like to see the Woodlands play area off Bellhouse Way reopened at least during day light hours at weekends.

The equipment has been unavailable for several months now because of health and safety fears.

However many residents have pointed out that young children trying to climb the 2 metre high railings, which surround the play area, are probably at greater risk

The Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust has now responded to the local Residents Association promising that – following some minor works – the area will be reopened within a couple of weeks.

Elsewhere in the Woodlands estate, survey respondents were critical of the mowing arrangements for verges. They had been left uncut for so long that, after cutting, the area resembled a hayfield.

A site meeting to discuss the problem has taken place.

The Trust also plan to do some maintenance work on their shrub beds.