Play England has this month unveiled It All Starts with Play! – a bold new 10-year strategy to restore children’s freedom to play by 2035. Anchored in the belief that play is a fundamental right, the strategy calls for play to be a normal and visible part of everyday life once again.
The launch event at the House of Commons also saw the formation of England’s first All-Party Parliamentary Group on Play, signalling growing cross-party support for a statutory play sufficiency duty in England.
“Play England’s 10-year strategy provides a timely and ambitious vision that aligns perfectly with our work here at Eastside Community Trust,” says Deputy CEO Tom Williams.
“By championing the right to play and embedding it in policy and community practice, we can ensure that spaces like Felix Road Adventure Playground and Easton Community Centre continue to flourish as places of joy, exploration and connection”
Founded in 1972 by local residents, Felix Road Adventure Playground has welcomed 1000s of children and families each year, offering a unique open-access space where playworkers support truly child-led exploration.
Tucked away in the heart of Easton, Felix Road blends traditional adventure playground features, such as den building, loose parts, tool sheds, with natural elements like sensory gardens and muddy play pits.
“Ours is a space where children learn resilience, creativity and collaboration through play,” says Playground Manager Ollie Fournier.
“With Play England’s ten-year plan, our community playground will benefit from renewed focus on investment, skills development and public attitudes towards child-led play.”
Sessions and activities at Felix Adventure Playground include:
- Open access sessions for ages 8–14, free to come and play.
- Holiday Play Schemes featuring themed activities
- Community projects such as the Freedom Kids Podcast and artist residencies
Easton Community Centre is a vibrant community hub and offers affordable event spaces, a cafe, alongside its Raised in Bristol Nursery – open since 2017, welcoming over 200 children weekly and secured on a 20-year lease until 2047 to guarantee local early years provision. The centre also hosts regular baby and toddler sessions, fitness and art events, youth clubs and a range of volunteering initiatives.
By operating and evolving Felix Road Adventure Playground and Easton Community Centre under one organisation, Eastside Community Trust is already living out Play England’s STAR commitments:
Space: continually upgrading play and meeting environments.
Time: offering long-term, open-access play opportunities beyond school hours.
Acceptance: nurturing a culture where child-led play is valued and visible.
Rights: advocating for policy and funding that secures play sufficiency in Bristol and beyond.
“Over the next decade, we hope to support Play England, as well as work hand in hand with communities and local authorities to ensure every child in Easton and Lawrence Hill has the space, the time and the right to play,” adds Tom Williams.
If you share our belief that play is the heartbeat of healthy communities, we’d love you to get involved. Whether it’s joining a session at Felix Road, organising a child friendly event at Easton Community Centre, or becoming an Eastside Community Trust member, together we can make play an everyday reality for every child.
