Latest News

Barry Leahey MBE, President of Playdale Playgrounds, and a vocal advocate for SMEs and Manufacturer’s, has been successfully appointed to join the Cumbrian Economic Growth Board, a significant step towards shaping the economic future of Cumbria.

The Association of Play Industries (API) is calling on the public to support its Pathway to Play campaign by writing to their local MPs, urging the government to invest in public playgrounds in their first Budget on 30 October. The campaign seeks to address the growing crisis of childhood obesity and mental health issues by ensuring that every child has access to safe, high-quality outdoor play spaces.

Play and sports area manufacturer Proludic has successfully designed and installed a fully inclusive play space for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). It provides a welcoming space for the children in their care to enjoy, while offering respite and bonding opportunities for their parents and carers. Asked to create a safe, accessible, and contemporary environment, Proludic worked closely with this client to ensure the play area met the diverse needs of children, so a range of disabilities and life-limiting conditions were catered for. The Nook Children’s Hospice play area, built on sloping ground, required extensive grading to create terraced levels, allowing easy access for all children while creating a colourful and visually inspiring space.

Pathway To Play Campaign Urges Next UK Government to Invest in Public Playgrounds

The Association of Play Industries (API) is launching a new campaign – Pathway To Play - urging the next UK government to invest significantly in public playgrounds. With an alarming rise in childhood obesity, poor mental health and sleep issues, the #PathwayToPlay manifesto stresses the crucial role of outdoor play in promoting the health and wellbeing of children across the nation.

Notes to Editors:

Proludic's four expertise webinars exemplify our steadfast dedication to incorporating inclusivity into the design, reimagining bespoke play, ensuring timely and budget-friendly delivery of play in the housing sector, and advocating for fun fitness through our innovative ACTI’FUN concept. With over 35 years of experience, Proludic has remained committed to creating community-based play and sports areas that offer more than just amusement for children, providing deeper benefits aligned with our ethos.

Forget flat and conventional playgrounds! RTC Safety Surfaces Ltd defied expectations at Cedars Park in Waltham Cross, conquering a landscaping dilemma for Wicksteed and transforming a historical mound into a vibrant, safe play space.

Jupiter Play, a leading advocate for innovative and community-centered play solutions, announces their 2024 webinar series focusing on cutting-edge play design concepts. With a commitment to advancing the discourse on play, Jupiter Play brings together a diverse array of experts from their staff to delve into crucial topics such as sustainability, inclusive design, and measuring the impact of play initiatives.

The Association of Play Industries (API) is delighted to announce that GroundsFest will be the primary sponsor of this year’s special Annual General Meeting to celebrate 40 years of the API.

The Association of Play Industries (API) is thrilled to mark its fortieth anniversary this year, a significant milestone in their commitment to promoting children's play across the UK. As the lead trade association for the play industry, the API has been dedicated to supporting its members since their establishment in 1984.

Playdale Playgrounds Limited, provider of outdoor play equipment, has launched a brand-new sustainably sourced modular timber range with 12 tower units.

The first ever GroundsFest, held at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, on 20 and 21 September, proved to be a huge success for the play sector.

To tie in with the annual ‘Flashes Festival of Nature’ during mid-July, the public of Leigh and Wigan were treated to the opening of the Pennington Flash adventure playground. This inclusive, nature-themed family play area attraction is now open and boasts a range of high-specification play equipment such as an inclusive wheelchair seesaw, Origin’ Major Projects tall towers with interconnecting crawling tubes and a multitude of swings plus a central ‘Toddler Lake’ for younger children to enjoy.

The Association of Play Industries is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Amanda Gummer as their new Independent Chair. A psychologist and CEO of research consultancy Fundamentally Children, Amanda brings over 20 years’ experience of working with children and families and is passionate about children’s play.

At Wicksteed, we take immense pride in fostering an inclusive and accessible environment for children of all abilities. Building on the success of our Universal Range, we are excited to announce the latest addition to this collection, the Inclusive Ramp. This innovative add-on option is designed to provide children with diverse physical abilities an equal opportunity to explore the joy and wonder of play.

South Cumbrian Playground Manufacturing Company, Playdale Playgrounds President, Barry Leahey MBE made a compelling appearance on the Nigel Farage show last night, discussing the exceptional achievements of the Playground Manufacturing company since the implementation of Brexit. Leahey's insights shed light on Playdale's remarkable growth and highlighted the importance of adaptability and determination in the face of change.

On Thursday 06 July 2023, the Association of Play Industries held a special Annual General Meeting (AGM) and dinner at Coombe Abbey, Warwickshire. During the event, they launched two new research projects focusing on enhancing children's play opportunities.

Proludic is back in 2023 with plenty of new inspirations to share! This year we have introduced 30 new exclusive products to assist in taking your new play and sports areas to the next level.

Wicksteed, a leading UK-based playground manufacturing company renowned for its commitment to innovation and safety, announces a significant milestone in its production capabilities. In June of this year, the company made a strategic investment in a new CNC Press Brake, revolutionising its manufacturing process.