Hackney,
20
November
2014
|
10:41
Europe/London

Hackney children are stars of new Play Streets film

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An inspiring short film promoting Hackney’s project to enable children to play on the streets outside their homes and schools has been launched.

The three-minute film, commissioned by Hackney Council in partnership with the charity Hackney Play Association, documents all the fun and thrills of Play Streets and is designed to inspire more parents and schools to get involved.

Play Streets allow parents and neighbours to temporarily close their road to through-traffic so that youngsters can play and adults can get together with their neighbours.

Filmed at three of the 31 Hackney roads taking part in the scheme, the film shows children happily reclaiming their streets to enjoy simple games like skipping, chalking, hopscotch and riding bikes. Parents are seen chatting together and joining in with the play too. It also features interviews with participants.

It will be used to demonstrate the idea to parents and schools with screenings in community locations like schools and children’s centres, and promoted via social media.

In 2012 Hackney became the first London borough to enable Play Streets sessions. For the last year it has funded development work by Hackney Play Association to increase uptake across the borough.

Hackney Play Streets has been recognised by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) as an example of good practice in getting children active and for its community-building impact. The film will be officially launched at the BHF Annual Conference on 20 November.

Cllr Feryal Demirci, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Hackney Council
We have lots of beautiful, accessible parks and green spaces but we want to give children as much opportunity to play outside as possible and encourage them to be as active as possible. We have a strong sense of community here in Hackney and this is a cost-effective way of encouraging young people to play outside and neighbours to get to know each other.
Cllr Feryal Demirci, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Hackney Council

Some 150 Play Street and estate play sessions took place from October 2013 to September 2014 involving around 1,600 children.

Along with the borough’s innovative cycling work, Play Streets helped the borough scoop top prize in the 2014 London Transport Awards. Hackney has advised several other boroughs on how to go about introducing Play Streets, and hosts a pan-London Play Streets Group.

Residents volunteer to organise Play Streets, which can take place weekly, monthly or less often, for up to three hours. Teams of neighbours who volunteer to steward the closures help them. Four primary schools and a children’s centre are also taking part in the idea with the PTFA and/or staff members running the events. Residents are still allowed vehicle access, driving at walking pace and escorted by a steward, after children had been safely cleared from the street.

Find out more about Play Streets