How do you go about lobbying for a play area?

[Moomin]

Was talking to some other mums to day and we were saying how bad our area is for play areas for kids. There is a piece of land owned by the county council that the school & pre-school use, which is walled and locked at night and it leads into the school grounds and another LEA building. It's IDEAL for a play area in one corner.

How do we go about trying to get permisson for one? We'd be more than happy to raise funds for it, maybe half and half with the council (or all if needs be). Anyone any experience of this kind of thing?

now somewhere today (on here?) i saw an add for getting lotto money invested in your local area and how to apply, why don't you try looking into that?

Your M.P may be able to help

You need to set yourselves up as a constituted organisation which is really easy. Find out who is your local Voluntary Sector Council/Body in your area and they will give you all the advice that you need. Also try your local Groundwork if you have one.
I work as a consultant in this field and also as a grant assessor for parks/green spaces etc. The programme I worked on, 'Living Spaces' has just come to an end but there is more cash coming through the Big Lottery and another Living Spaces type grant programme will probably be announced in the autumn, again through the Big Lottery. You are right to try and work with the council from the beginning as they can often provide some funding and also manage big grants which can be a help.
Am just about to go on maternity leave as due in a week but keep this thread updated and I'll keep an eye out...
Good luck

first, I would email or write to your local councillors (rather than MP as they have more clout locally) and and particularly as there are local elections coming up in May. Start a petition so you can show them how many of you there are and don't give up at the first hurdel.
Where do you live? Round here, the local council has said that no child has to walk more than a mile to a play gorund.

worcester
nearest big park is across huge main road about 1 mile away but would NEVER take our under 5s there - play area is very very skanky, used by drunks and druggies and scary gangs

another very small play area on an estate, again 1 mile in other direction. it's ok but tiny and not very easy to use. i'm envisaging benches for parents, sand pits, good quality things for kids to play on... in other words what every other city seems to be able to come up with apart from ours. have friends in nottingham and bedford where the parks are just great in comparison - clean, friendly used by all of community.

great advice here - thanks

good luck
we must be really lucky - we have 3 playgrounds within walking distance

hurdle
I can spell really - I just can't type