I AM prompted to write by an article which appeared on the Gazette's front page of the Marlborough/Pewsey edition on September 28 headlined "Play area neighbours say slide rules lives."
To my mind this highlights the woeful lack of planning, consultation and provision of safe, free and challenging play opportunities for children in Wiltshire.
As a former play development worker working in inner city areas in both Nottingham and Cardiff I am horrified by the apparent lack of safe places for children aged five to 12 to play in Pewsey .
Free play is essential to growing children, it is the means by which they explore, learn to socialise and learn to take "acceptable risks" (perceived rather than actual) appropriate to their age and abilities, which will benefit them in adult life.
Favourite places to play for children in this age group appear to be canal side, Scotchel, the river or the recycling bins in the Pioneer car park all of which are potentially dangerous.
The play area mentioned in the article is accessible by crossing a dangerous road or even worse a main line railway.
It is arguably a right of children to have leisure opportunities and a say in how they are planned article 31 of the children's charter under the European Convention for Human Rights. It is certainly a responsibility of a caring community.
Children in Pewsey benefit from living in an area where the crime rate is much lower than average for the country as a whole.
However, the local picture is changing as this large village inevitably grows so will the "problems."
Lack of opportunity, like rural poverty, is masked in Pewsey as most people are in some kind of employment, but is this an excuse for complacency?
Anyone who shares our concern for decent play opportunities which are properly resourced such as the successful Shakers playscheme which ran again this year thanks the efforts of Sue Easton and Donna Hartly with the support of RAN, is invited to the AGM of Shakers which will be held on November 3 at Pewsey Leisure Centre at 6pm in the SHAK.
If you would like more information about joining the association contact me c/o Pewsey Leisure Centre or telephone (01672) 562469.
JAYNE SHENSTONE
Shakers Secretary
River Street, Pewsey
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