Summer of Fun activities in Wick (Date: July 2021)
The various lockdowns over the past 16 months have affected many in our community, including our children and young people.
Last summer, as the first lockdown was relaxed, the Summer Play Project facilitated by Wick Community Council was a great success and all those involved in it were able to report on the positive affect the project had for our children, young people and parents.
Wick Community Council is delighted to announce that, working in conjunction with the Vale Play Rangers, Play Wales and Wick Youth Club, a Summer of Fun, as called for by the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, will return to Wick this Summer Holiday.
Starting on Wednesday 21st July and continuing every Wednesday afternoon from 2.00pm to 4.00pm through the Summer Holidays, the Play Rangers will be delivering play activities for children aged 4 to 11 years of age and this will be followed by Wick Youth Club continuing games and other activities for children and young people aged 7 plus, until 7.00pm.
Wick Community Council has been fortunate to secure a further grant from Welsh Government to purchase equipment to support play activities and Wick Youth Club had a similar grant from Glamorgan Voluntary Services. This equipment and our newly completed Multi Use Games Area will be put to good use throughout our Summer of Fun activities.
Further information on the activities planned for each week can be found on the Village and Youth Club Facebook pages, enquiries about Wick’s Summer of Fun can be made to wickcommunitycouncil@gmail.com
All members of Wick Community Councils wish our children, young people and adult residents a happy and safe summer holiday.
Report to Wick Community Council on Wick Play Rangers (Date: September 2020)
Commencing 28th July 2020 for four weeks during the summer holidays the Vale Play Rangers, funded by Wick Community Council have been working with Wick Youth Club to deliver Play and Sports activities for young people of all ages living in Wick. Due to the pandemic numbers able to attend were limited.
All activities took place outdoors with just the Pavilion toilets open for use by those attending. Wick Youth Club provided free tea and coffee for parents and a free BBQ for everyone each week. Good use was made of the play equipment purchased by Wick Community Council last year.
The number of children who registered with the Play Rangers each week are as follows.
8/07/2020: 22 Participants
04/08/2020: 37 Participants (Although some children registered but didn’t fully take part as they were with parents)
11/08/2020: 31 Participants
18/08/2020: 27 Participants
26/08/2020: 28 Participants
With the older young people who attended the later session numbers attending each week were around 50.
This year’s Play Rangers was certainly the most impactive that we’ve held in the Village, in large part due to the difficult lockdown period we’ve gone through.
We’ve had some very good feedback from parents and young people on the Tuesday afternoon sessions.
In addition to the play for children, always important but especially so now, the play sessions have given parents the first opportunity for many months for them to meet up outside and in safety to just chat and be supportive. That has been probably the most frequent feedback comment we’ve had.
Parents also say that it’s been great to see their children playing with other children not in their immediate family or bubble of friends, it’s the first opportunity they’ve had to do this since March.
For the older young people who joined us later in the day at least 6 of them report that this was the first time they had left their homes since March to meet with friends, they’re first social contacts in 4 months. One mum said of her daughter that it was the first time she had been outside without a parent present and the first time she’d been able to just talk and play with friends, she was almost in tears as she watched her daughter “Red Top” with her friends she was so pleased with what we’d done.
The opportunity to work alongside the Play Rangers gave the youth club the opportunity to meet members and hear their concerns. We have been able to talk to members about going back to school or moving to their new school, about health issues, about starting their first job, about public transport problems, drinking, and to support those finding lockdown still difficult.
A member of staff from Play Wales had heard about our sessions and came to see one. She was impressed with what she saw, we’re meeting again next week to see how we can develop more activities in the rural Vale.
A final session, without the Play Rangers, was held on Wednesday 26th August run by the youth club but open to all ages.
The sessions were all without any adverse incidents of comments and was a very successful initiative.
Play Rangers and activities for young people
(Date: July 2020)
The lockdown has been difficult for the whole community. Children and young people have seen their schools and clubs close and have only been allowed out of their homes in limited circumstances. They have especially missed meeting and playing with friends.
As the lockdown eases Wick Community Council is delighted to announce that there will be a programme of Covid friendly activities run by the Play Rangers this year.
The Play Rangers will be running a slightly different format to comply with current regulations. Called Family Rangers their activities will be open to all ages and will consist of groups of up to six people taking part in a range of play activities. There will be up to 5 groups, a maximum of 30 people taking part.
Following the Play Ranger sessions Wick Youth Club will have sporting and leisure activities for young people including a BBQ and refreshments.
All of the activities will take place outdoors and so will be dependent on dry weather.
Play Rangers will run form 1.00pm until 3.00pm for four Tuesday afternoons starting 28th July and ending 18th August. The Youth Club sessions will follow on when Play Rangers finish at 3.00pm.
Due to the limit on numbers places should be booked by either calling 07732304570 or email wickcommunitycouncil@gmail.com. If numbers exceed 30 late comers may have to be turned away, we are sorry.
All of the activities have been risk assessed for safety, and hand sanitiser and PPE as required will be provided. Ask for details if at all concerned.
Up to date information on all of the Summer activities will be posted on the website, and Wick, Broughton and Monknash Facebook page.
Play Equipment
(Date: July, 2019)
At the end of the financial year (2018/19) the Community Council received a grant to purchase equipment to enhance play opportunities for younger children in the Village.
The equipment includes some ‘Red Tops’, bug hunting and den making items, a Quadro play kit and some other items. The equipment will be put to good use during the school summer holidays.
If organisations in the Village would like to borrow it please contact the Clerk, Conway Hawkins on 07710209437 to make arrangements. It can be borrowed free of charge but there is an expectation that it will be returned in good conditions and that losses or damage will be made good.
Play Rangers
(Date: July, 2019)
Once again, this year Wick Community Council will be supporting the Vale Play Rangers to deliver sessions in the Village.
The Play Rangers will be at the Pavilion on Tuesdays from 2.00pm to 4.00pm from Tuesday 23rd July until Tuesday 20th August 2019.
Play Rangers deliver services for children age 5 to 11 years with older young people welcome to attend and help.
Wick Community Council 