Page 8 - link magazine

8 FRESH BROOK & GRANGE PARK
Playground games rediscovered

The 380 youngsters at Freshbrook School have been t rying out tradi-
tional activities and games in each of the four playgrounds in a new
1• •' 1 initiative introduced at the beginning of the Janua ry term.

WINDOW REPAIRS
From sealed units
to handles, hinge
& locks, plus
repairs to
patio doors

For further details
i
telephone

Dinner ladies Pauline Pellicci and Yvonne Bartlett with eager youngsters
Hoola-hoops, bean bags, skip- stay with them so that they get to
ping ropes, jacks and skittles have know children better."
For a new style or colour, Shaw Village been bought with a grant from the Dinner lady Pauline Pellicci said
call in today for a Friends of Freshbrook School in a the equipment was a good idea.
scheme to modify playground be- "Many children did not know what
free consultation
haviour. And the twelve lunch- to do when the games were
with our friendly staff Park g time dinner ladies are helping chil- brought out, but they soon caught
dren learn how to play creatively. on. These are all the things we did
was swmdon
Z)u1cacz ga.Gt Seadia ^en„a Deputy headteacher Jane Par- when we were at school; it's fun
sons said the initiative is part of showing them how to play jacks
Shaw Salon, Shaw Village Centre, the school behaviour policy. and French skipping."
Swindon • Tel: 874825 ,.• ....., . "Some children have little experi- Jack Mutlow, 9, said, "we just
ence of constructive play; there are used to play football and run
a lot of rough games like wrestling around. "It's much better to have
and martial arts which they get off something to do at lunchtimes."
the TV. Lucy Gillett said she had never
S UPERGLIDE "With the equipment and games spun a hoola-hoop. "Playtime is
we aim to encourage more coop- more interesting nowadays."
In one of the playgrounds the
WARDROBES erative and sociable play. Chil- dinner ladies organise traditional
dren of different ages are also now
restricted to one of the playgrounds group activities and rhyming
for a week. They then move to games like 'Oranges and Lemons'
another area and the dinner ladies and 'What's the time Mr Woolf.'

Action on safety in Freshbrook
The Freshbrook Neighbourhood Safety Team (NeST) first met in
October last year, the first of four in Swindon reports Swindon
Council's Crime and Disorder coordinator Miriam Minty.
The NeST aims to for Rob at the commu-
bring together repre- nity centre or he can
sentatives from the be contacted on
community, local coun- 528111.
cillors, the local beat Another key issue is
* Superb sliding door wardrobes all made tomeasure
police officer and rel- how young people can
in our workshops evant council officers in be involved in work-
order to identify safety ing as part of the com-
* Door panels in laminates, real wood veneers, mirrors
concerns and to find munity to reduce'
* We can also supply and install: fitted kitchens & ways that people can crime and disorder.
work together to im- Youth workers are li-
bedroom furniture
prove the quality of life. aising with teenagers
* Over 40 finishes available One the major issues to ensure that they are
discussed was the need for more able playa role.
* Agents for Hideaway wall beds contact with the police. As a result The Freshbrook NeST is open to
Call now for
local officer PC Rob Mortimer is representatives of local commu-
free estimate starting a regular surgery at Fresh- nity groups and organisations. For
brook Community Centre so that more details, contact Miriam Minty
® on 01793 concerns can be raised. The dates or Cheryl Orton at the Crime and
861584 will be published next month. Disorder Implementation Team on
Currently messages can be left (01793) 466510/466473.