Let’s Get Together – A Community Playscheme

This is very much an “enabling” project – for Reynoldston Village Hall Association to provide key facilities and equipment to enable a pre-school play scheme to be established at Reynoldston Village Hall. The play scheme will be managed and organised by those attending the play scheme and the facilities to be available to parents, grandparents and children from much of Gower. The project very much reflects a clear need for such a group in the area (currently no group exists). Like other groups using Reynoldston Village Hall, the play scheme and its organisers will be independent of the Hall.

Local instructors will attend on occasions providing music, exercise, diet and special needs support. The Hall has also two small rooms, space for small groups or private meetings.

Key Aims & Objectives:

• To establish a play scheme group, catering for children of pre-school age, including facilities for parents with babies
• To provide play and related facilities
• To enable parents and grandparents to socialise, discuss areas of common interest and establish lasting friendships
• To draw on local expertise to advise members on topics relating to young children.
• To help to alleviate rural isolation
• To provide an important facility for those arriving new to the South Gower area, providing immediate access to peer groups
• To involve other people in the community who will share their knowledge and expertise with the group.
• To develop “swop shops” for exchanges of clothing etc. 
• After six months, the play scheme will have its own organisational structures and be self-funding. The group will fund future purchases, conduct fund raising activities when required, finance any instructors or activity organisers and cover the cost of the Hall rental/heating.

In relation to Swansea RDP Local Delivery strategy:

Strategic Aim 1:

• Increase wellbeing and ecosystem resilience through maintaining and adding value to natural and cultural resources

Objective 1:

• Develop initiatives that deliver measurable wellbeing benefits
• A community venture, led and organised by members of the play scheme with support from others within the community. The play scheme will have a key role in reducing isolation in this rural community, aiding mental wellbeing. 
• A focal point for children, parents and grandparents, providing essential social contacts, mental and physical health benefits, the exchange of advice and practical help through co-operation. 
• The play scheme will “dovetail” into the policy, established by the Hall’s Trustees, of providing excellent facilities for groups offering health and well-being activities. 

Strategic Aim 2: 

• Strengthen the self-sufficiency of the local economy and support active, resilient, and connected communities 

Objective 2:

• Maximise the local economy and make it more sustainable by developing shorter and circular supply chains between consumers, producers, and suppliers 
• This will be the only facility available in south and much of north Gower, thus providing a facility to many communities in the area. 
• Centrally placed in Reynoldston, the playgroup will reduce excessive travelling. Currently, the nearest play scheme is some eight miles away in Pennard, with cost, time and environmental implications. 
• The play scheme will hire in instructors in such areas as health and fitness, games, dance, home safety and related. The majority of these instructors would come from within the local area. 

Objective 3:

• Increase community resilience through initiatives, skills development, and promotion 
• For those leading and organising the play scheme, this may be the first community responsibilities undertaken by some. The Hall will provide advice on legal, financial and operational matters, drawing on the expertise and experience of its Trustees and its Operations Group.

Objective 4:

• Increase resource efficiency – reduce, reuse, reimagine, recycle waste. The play scheme’s organisers will be encouraged to be very aware of environmental needs. This will be supported by the Hall that has invested in “environmentally friendly” heating, lighting, water and toilets.