I met up with some Rye mums recently at the Salts to look at the children’s playground. I also had a look at the play areas at Kings Avenue and Masons Field. The mums had contacted me to complain about the children’s playgrounds in Rye – that they are in a pretty poor state, with some equipment missing, and in need of modernising. In addition, the mums highlighted their concerns that the playgrounds are not suitable for disabled children in terms of accessibility or facilities. One lovely mum has a young child with cerebral palsy and she told me that she has to drive to Ashford to access a playground which has play equipment which her wheelchair restricted child could enjoy.
Play areas are vital for children’s mental and physical health, and green and interactive spaces especially, enable children to explore their imaginations and grow their creativity. Playgrounds and green spaces also help to reduce noise, improve air quality and enhance biodiversity too. Our children need to be outdoors, to create a connection with nature and learn about the importance of biodiversity. Playgrounds that combine biodiversity and the right play equipment to interact with nature are the perfect way to achieve this.
Interestingly, some years ago in 2012, the National Trust conducted research which outlined the rise of ‘nature deficit disorder’ and the need for easily accessible interactive and green spaces for children. The survey they carried out showed that 84% of parents believe that playing outdoors makes their children more imaginative and creative, while 96% felt it was important for children to have a connection with nature.
Playgrounds and play areas also have huge potential to provide opportunities for disabled children to be included in their communities, breaking down barriers and building relationships. Non-disabled children benefit too, as they learn so much through playing with disabled friends. Every child needs to play and in order that disabled children are not excluded from playgrounds, accessible and inclusive play spaces are essential.
In addition, studies illustrate that people of lower socio-economic groups reap greater benefits from green spaces in towns and cities than more privileged groups, especially in terms of physical and mental health and social integration. Enhancing our playgrounds and green spaces should therefore be a priority for Rother District Council, especially in our more disadvantaged communities or in housing developments.
Having had a good look at the playgrounds, I agree with the mums who contacted me, and I have raised these concerns with Rother District Council, which owns the play areas. It is also clear that we need to do better as a community in thinking about and creating accessible and inclusive places for children, especially disabled children, to play within a reasonable distance of their home. It really irritates me that when it comes to the Levelling-up Fund, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund or other government funding that the Rother Alliance have generally overlooked our rural areas, especially Rye and the western part of the district, for the past few years. Now that we have a new cohort of elected councillors who are part of the Rother Alliance, I would expect - urge - them to procure a share of the government funding which I have campaigned for and secured, to be spent in Rye and the surrounding villages - including for improvements to our local play areas.
And finally, on the subject of government funding, and as I wrote in my April Rye News piece, having secured funding support for public sector swimming pools from the chancellor, I have urged Rother District Council to apply to Sport England which will deliver the funding, for the necessary financial support for Rye pool - out of the £63 million of new money allocated – and work with Rye Town Council to ensure that all available opportunities are explored in the application process.
