Herald Express: £20m coming to Paignton thanks to Pride in Place

Parliament returns this week after an Easter break which didn’t provide much respite from a crazy political atmosphere. The twists and turns of the news cycle are relentless, and I am sure I am not alone in fearing the ratchetting up of Trump’s rhetoric to previously unthinkable levels for a US President.

But away from international affairs, I spent the Easter break back in South Devon, taking time meeting local businesses, visiting schools and talking with constituents. Among my visits was a trip to Kings Ash Academy to attend the unveiling of their new multi-sensory play and communication space, as well as their dedicated outdoor ‘Community Café’ for parents and children.

While it was fun to try out the multi-sensory zone and visit the cafe, it is important not to lose sight of the key function both these new services serve. Evidence suggests that in the early years of a child’s life, play-based learning can have a positive impact on communication, as well as emotional and physical development.

Being outside, getting wet and muddy, sliding around, climbing over things and exploring their world is just as important for a child as sitting inside playing with building bricks or doing puzzles. And way more important for development than playing on a screen.

Research supports this: the Lego “Play Well Report”, based on nearly 13,000 responses from parents and children, found that 83% of children say they learn better when it “feels like play”. Through play, children have the space and time to make connections in learning, try things out, make mistakes and learn how to do better next time. It builds resilience and problem-solving as well as physical growth.

Too often, though, this type of activity is dismissed. It is striking that England is the only nation in the United Kingdom with no statutory expectation that play-based learning continues beyond age five.

After opening the space, I sat down with Kings Ash Academy’s head to discuss the value of play-based learning, as well as the Pride in Place programme, which could see funding go towards improving play areas in Kings Ash and beyond. The Pride in Place programme, which the government announced last year, will see £20 million of investment in communities across the country over the next 10 years.

In South Devon, I am thrilled that Kings Ash, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Foxhole, Collaton St Mary, and other parts of the western edge of Paignton are set to benefit. The programme is still in its very early stages, and there is a lot of work to do – but the idea that residents and communities can come together to decide where this money is spent is genuinely exciting.

I am looking forward to helping drive this project, which hopefully will lead to real improvements and lasting benefits for areas that have often felt left behind by policymakers and elected representatives. Right now, we are calling for people who care about their community and want to improve their local area to come forward and help shape how this funding is used – it doesn’t matter if you haven’t done anything like this before.

So, if you have a view on improving local play areas, community spaces, services or the local economy, then please contact my office.  I’ll be saying more about this in the months to come, so please follow my social media if you’d like to keep up to date.