About Us
Play can happen anywhere
We are encouragers of making play happen anywhere, with either no or low cost. We often hear that people ‘don’t know how to play’ or that they ‘don’t know what to do’. Well, you don’t necessarily have to know what you’re doing or what the end result will be - that’s all part of the fun! So, next time you’re stuck waiting for the bus, or on a walk. Look around and see what you can find…we’ll guarantee there’ll be something to make your day a little more playful.
By collaborating we can achieve more
In order to achieve a sustainable adventure play model, we cannot do it alone. That’s why we’re big believers in working with others to raise the awareness of play and utilise their assets to provide play opportunities in different ways. From working with schools and community organisations to wider national and international play initiatives, we are always open to a chat about how we can work together to imbed play into children’s lives.
We have a passion for social change
Play Bradford, was formerly known as Eccleshill Adventure Playground (or The Big Swing) which has been an integral part of the community 20 years. We started off with just this as our main site, however over the years we recognised that there was a lack of adventure play services that operated across Bradford. So in order for us to make adventure play a vehicle for social change we adapted our model to make Play Bradford a district-wide service.
Meet the team
(Left to right) Hamid (MAP Lead), Amir, Catherine (Food programme manager), Sam (playworker), Laura (playworker), Emily (Administrative Lead), Janet (Manager), Asim (The Big Swing lead), Serena (playworker). We’ve jut got Adam, our Big Swing lead missing and Jamie, our other playworker!
Our Trustees
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Mike Wragg
Mike, our Chair of Trustees at Play Bradford and is a Senior Lecturer in Childhood Development and Playwork at Leeds Beckett University. He is also the Chair of Trustees at another children’s play project, New Hall Prison Visitors’ Play Facility. He has carried out research which has been cited in academic journals such as ‘The International Journal of Play.’ His doctoral research looks at the role of play in the creative industries which will be available for public reading later this year.
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Sarah Goldsmith
Sarah is a committed environmentalist, who’s passion in life is connecting children and young people to nature, who has spent the last 15 years working with children and young people in environmental education settings, running open access play in rural and urban settings. Sarah also managed an adventure playground in Dewsbury and currently works for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust running the Bradford Urban Discovering Project on urban city greenspaces.
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Peter Home
Peter has been connected to Play Bradford since 2004 when he became a tutor who then joined Play Bradford’s Board of Trustees in 2008. He is also a trustee at Nell Bank Charitable Trust, an outdoor activity centre for mainly children aged 4 to 9. Peter has a keen interest in the natural outside world as well as encouraging and providing for all children to experience and enjoy its limitless boundaries.
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John Cole
From 2005-2008 John was the Bradford Play Champion, which saw play be intertwined into the district’s strategic plan where he helped improve the District play offer. John is a keen bridge player and gardens his allotment. He also sings with the Airedale Male Voice Choir.
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Nicky Lannen
Senior Youth Worker, Eccleshill Ward. Nicky is the lead youth worker within the Eccleshill Ward, who started youth work as a volunteer and saw the impact, benefit and difference that it made to young people, which encouraged him to pursue a career in it. A few words from Nicky “I wanted to join the Play Bradford board as I want to see as many opportunities for young people to engage in and to promote positive outcomes for young people and make a difference to young people’s lives.”
