Reclaiming Wild Spaces for Children to Play

Sunday 3 June
12:00-17:00

We’re organising an event around the idea of utilising derelict and vacant land for children to play.  This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Scottish Derelict and Vacant Land Survey and we want to celebrate this by encouraging people to utilise their local spaces for children to play  We believe that children playing outside in their community will make local spaces safe and this will bring the wider community together.

Children (and adults) are not spending enough time outside in nature and as a result they are suffering.  Mental and physical health problems are at an all time high, while time spent outside in wild spaces is declining.  This is where we believe derelict and vacant land can play a role in helping facilitate community use of local wild spaces.

This event is in collaboration with both the RSPB Glasgow Wildfest and the West-end Festival 2018.

We’ll be posting more information soon. For now, this is what you can expect.

• Practical activities for children to participate in e.g. seedbombing, planting, outdoor play, loose parts play
• Talks and workshops around utilising derelict and vacant land for children to play. This is aimed at anyone interested in doing something similar to the Children’s Wood or those working with children. Talks include Emily Cutts from The Children’s Wood, Sue Palmer from Upstart, Alan Sinclair author of Right from the Start a Postcard from Scotland book
• Opening of the beedookit – Kathy Friend’s innovative project to bring honey bees to  community spaces
• A performance of the Man Who Planted Trees  by Puppet State Theatre production at  Shakespeare Youth Club. 1pm.