Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground Association
N16 8TB
Tel: 0207 249 8405
Email: swapansixteen@swapa.org.uk
Chair’s Annual Report 2013
Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground’s
I would firstly like to thank Hackney Council for the core funding received this year that’s
enabled us to continue to keep Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground, (locally aka
‘SWAPA’) to open to the community for yet another year and I believe from the research I
done we are in our 36th year; if anyone knows different or better still has any photographs
of way back when in the initial stage of SWAPA’s development please let us know!
We managed to get some much needed additional funding during this year, which enabled
us to open during October half term week, we were not at all sure if we were going to have
to close during that week, Hackney Council came through and funded us, thanks once again.
Because of SWAPA’s popularity of we often had parents and young people waiting outside
the gates before the due opening time, so at the end of June after lengthy deliberation we
decide to opening up at 3.30pm, little after most school finishes at 3.00pm – 3.15pm, this
enables parents to come straight from school to access our facilities at 3.30pm rather than
having to wait outside the gates in much anticipation to 4.05pm.
We’ve had our stresses during the year that are not to be dwelled upon but to learn from,
moving forward to better times. On the up side I believe it to have been thus far a pretty
fruitful year all in all; to mention a few:
 London Play Award – We was please to win another award from London play
adventure playground awards “Most Open Playground 2012” carrying on from our
success of being named the ‘Most Friendliest Playground 2011‘ the year before
 Our young users successfully put in a YOF bid and achieved a grant of £5,000 to add
to our assisting structures, enhancing the facilities of our outdoor adventure play
 Disable Bay – A double size disabled parking bay outside our entrance allowing
easier and better access to all
 Community Partnership with London Youth – VIY (Volunteer it yourself) sponsored
by Wickes; culminating in our young people over 14yrs gaining a recognised ‘entry
level’ vocational training accredited by City & Guilds
 Training where applicable; Staff as well as Committee Members have been on
training keeping them knowledgeable and update with policy regarding the welfare
of our users
 BBC crew came over to film a CBBC documentary on SWAPA’s ground entitled
‘What’s a Boy’, you may be able to find this on YouTube
Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground Association
N16 8TB
Tel: 0207 249 8405
Email: swapansixteen@swapa.org.uk
 Hosting more birthday parties, that’s proving popular with the kids
 Corporate Connection – Two Community days where had recently - Lastminute.com
where in for a Community Day in May, cleared site of weeds and emptied containers
& Elba where in June, cleared the site for sensory garden
 A family trip to Chessington World of Adventures was had after receiving a grant
from ‘Help a London Child’.
 Young Volunteer Playworkers –JJ & Luke are now our Young Volunteers after training
with HPA to become Playworkers, you may see both JJ & Luke during the summer
holidays working at SWAPA
 Funding bid for a sensory garden has been placed and if successful we will be looking
forward to starting this project making more use of the back part of the site.
Fundraising is still on going and will be a big part of this year’s as well as next year’s
activities as awards are hard to come by, grants are very likely and expected to be cut
further during these fiscal hard times.
So, after yet another busy year at the playground it’s time to give acknowledgement and
appreciation for the commitment from our team of staff and the trustees for whose support
I am very grateful. A big thank you goes to all the core staff as well as the sessional workers,
not forgetting our young volunteers JJ and Luke who joined us this year, a special mention
goes to our Manager Shona and Kiea our Playworker who have yet again gone way above
and beyond to extend commitment in support of the young people outside of their general
contact hours may I say without any supplementary remuneration, thank you; Some of the
extended service we provide would not be at all possible without Shona & Kiea, these
workers along with their team and the young people are what make SWAPA special.
There is always a last, never least goes to management committee members during 2012 2013, Caroline, Gaynor, Grace & Polly who have first-hand experience of children,
community, the staff and the adventure playground; having their fingers on the pulse
enables them to always have the users utmost interest at heart, because of this their input
is current and relevant to the young people, their family, the community and association,
their involvement is valued and very much appreciated.
We are on the hunt for additional committee members, if you’re interest in becoming
involved in SWAPA in Stoke Newington N16 and would like to have an input, making
important decisions concerning the playground, please get in touch with us via the office
and we will be happy to consider you for a position on the committee.
Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground Association
N16 8TB
Tel: 0207 249 8405
Email: swapansixteen@swapa.org.uk
We hope that you continue to support us, work with us in our endeavours to provide a safe
and stimulating play environment for all young people to enjoy for at least another 36 years
and hopefully many years beyond.
CHRISTINA JORDEAN
christinajordean@swapa.org.uk
Chair & Trustee Management Committee
Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground Association