Posted: Wed 30th Sep 2020

Flintshire County Council’s ‘Summer Playscheme’ deemed a success, even with added setback of COVID-19

News and Info from Deeside, Flintshire, North Wales
This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Sep 30th, 2020

Flintshire County Council’s ‘Summer Playscheme’ has been a success, even with the added difficulty of having to manage COVID-19 say the organisers.

Over 55 locations across Flintshire were used for the annual event, which has been going on for almost 25 years, delivered by the council’s ‘Play Development Team’ with help from 28 local town and community councils and the Welsh Government.

Children between the ages of 5 and 12, and those with disabilities up to 15 years old, took part over the two weeks it was held for.

Councillor Ian Roberts, Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Youth, said: “In Flintshire, we are very proud of our summer play schemes which provide children with the opportunity – the time, space and permission – to play out locally, meeting up with old friends and making new ones.

“This year, despite some enormous challenges, there were still 1,865 children who attended the play schemes which took place throughout the county, proving them to be yet another huge success.”

Thirty children with disabilities were supported by their ‘Buddy Scheme’, which provides one-to-one support for children with disabilities.

Cllr Roberts added: “There were two Welsh medium play schemes at Ysgol Gwynedd and Ysgol Maes Garmon.

“This is an important strand of our Welsh in Education Strategic Plan that children have the opportunity to access their play scheme through the medium of Welsh.”

To keep paper copies of registration forms to a minimum, due to COVID-19, online registration was used to help keep contact down between parents and organisers.

There were however paper copies needed in some situations where parents and carers did not have access to internet.

Headteachers are already offering online access to parents and carers to register for next year’s ‘Summer Playscheme’.

Janet Roberts, Flintshire’s Play Development Officer, said: “At first we thought that we would have to cancel all of our play schemes for this year, but, thanks to the hard work and dedication of many of our committed council officers and partners from other organisations, we were able to deliver a successful, albeit reduced, programme for 2020, safely.

“I have to make a special mention to all the town and community councils – without their support, this summer of play would not have happened.

“Being able to provide these play schemes has, without question, made a truly remarkable difference to all communities involved, as evidenced in emails received from parents and carers and, of course, the children.”

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