Active Cheshire believes active toys should be available in every park, for all ages and abilities to enjoy with their friends and family. That is why they have partnered up with Postcode Community Trust, Northwich Town Council and Winsford Town Council for a PlayBox project aimed at the public to utilise green spaces.
Active Cheshire successfully launched PlayBoxes to stay in Winsford Town Park, Winsford Wharton Recreation Ground and Northwich Verdin Park. The idea behind these active boxes is to increase the use of local parks and open spaces for the community, by encouraging active play.
Local residents have free access to active toys (e.g footballs, catching sets and frisbees) once signing up online and receiving a code. When people are done playing, they then place the items back inside the PlayBoxes which will be securely locked, and ready for the next person to use and enjoy.
Anne Boyd CEO of Active Cheshire, said at the launch “I am so pleased about the turnout and interest we have received about this project today. Following our strategy, play and activity have reached a new level of importance for people’s health and wellbeing. The PlayBoxes are here to give families and friends opportunities to get active in these local greenspaces.
A huge thank you to our partners getting the public to come together like this, especially players of People’s Postcode Lottery who fund the entirety of Postcode Community Trust.
On Blue Monday, Active Cheshire announced their 3 winners for the raffle, who each won an Active Hamper. Inside the Active Hamper contained; Goodmans extreme bass wireless headphones, skipping ropes, toning tube, water bottle, armband phone holder and ankle weights x 4 pedometers for families to enjoy.
This project was funded by Postcode Community Trust, a grant-giving charity funded entirely by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, who are always looking for opportunities to support towns and communities in creating benefits to their physical and mental health, as well as their social wellbeing. This aligns with the co-created Blueprint to tackle physical inactivity in the Cheshire and Warrington subregions, formally adopted by Active Cheshire as their strategy.
Active Cheshire saw an opportunity for the civic, by introducing shared toys and games to facilitate active play for local residents using the PlayBoxes rain or shine all year round.
Donations of toys to the PlayBoxes have been provided from local businesses: Asda, Morrisons, New Balance, Decathalon and Wilko’s.
If you wish to donate toys or equipment to the PlayBox you can do so by contacting support@activecheshire.org