Play defenders to build national picture of cuts

The Play in Peril website has been created by a group of play workers and trainers who want to build a national picture of how shrinking local authority budgets are affecting play services in England.

Website creator and former playworker Arthur Battram said he decided to take action after a play centre he founded in Middlesbrough in 1977 was closed two months ago. The centre is now marked for demolition.

Battram said the website was a non-campaigning resource open for people of all opinions.

“We don’t want to put anybody off, so we’re not taking a position, we’re just sharing information,” said Battram.

“We all have individual stories about cuts to play but there isn’t any central resource. We need to gather this information and put it in one place where everyone can access it.”

Battram said up to 500 people had already interacted with the website since it was launched at the beginning of March, including people leaving comments and those signing up more formally.

Formal supporters are named on the site and will form a network of information sharers to encourage more evidence to be added to the online resource.

Play expert Tim Gill said Play in Peril would provide “useful raw materials for anyone who is going to try and make the case about what’s happening to play”. 

“Play services are really under the cosh, suffering terribly under the austerity measures,” said Gill.

“There are lots of individual stories about play services being cut, run down or reduced. We know it’s happening, but we don’t know how much or where campaigns are taking place.

“As with any other public services, we have to have some idea of the effects of the cuts and get an overall picture.”