Installing playground equipment

Wildscapes CIC is celebrating the completion of a play equipment installation project with a difference.  Working with the Outdoor Learning team at the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust, the team instructed and worked alongside a group of 11-15 year old Roma boys on a playground redevelopment at a local community centre.

Over the summer period Wildscapes CIC was commissioned to supply and install a range of outdoor play equipment including monkey bars and pull up bars as part of a project to revitalise the playground at a community centre in Eastwood Village, Rotherham.

The equipment supplied included two country style wooden benches, a four metre post suitable for the installation of bat boxes, and outdoor gym equipment made from a mix of timber and metal, and incorporating pull up bars at various heights.

The Wildscapes team were assisted by a group of boys, known as the ‘Eastwood Eco Warriors’ in conducting CAT scans for power cables ahead of installation, bolting pieces of timber together and setting the equipment in concrete once in position.  The group showed great enthusiasm throughout the whole process, unloading equipment from vehicles, preparing tools and digging a number of large holes.  Fifteen year old Frankie, the eldest of the group, received the nickname “the hole man” because of his ability to get stuck in, digging deep holes for equipment without even breaking a sweat! 

Steven Greenwood, Conservation Contracts Manager at Wildscapes CIC commented; ‘These boys worked so hard and remained motivated throughout the project.  It was great to hear that some of them enjoyed the experience so much that they are looking to further develop the skills they’ve learned and pursue a career working in an environmental or land management role.’

Chris Smith, Senior Outdoor Learning Officer, at the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust said: The playground redevelopment is part of a collaborative project between the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust and the Clifton Learning Partnership. It follows ‘Boys Club’, a previous venture delivered by the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust’s Natural Neighbours project, which led the creation of an afterschool club aimed at the same audience and designed to help children become involved with the wider community and with nature.

ENDS

For further information, please contact Nicola Livsey, Marketing and Communications Officer at Wildscapes CIC, on n.livsey@wildsheffield.com or 0114 303 5123.

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