Play street beacons

The councils, organisations and individuals listed below represent best practice in activating play streets around the UK.

All are happy to be contacted by others who would like to learn from them. You can get advice or guidance about many different aspects of play streets – contact details and expertise all listed below.

Jenny, Catherine and Naomi in Leeds

Leeds has had play streets since 2014, with over 100 so far across the city. Play streets are supported by two local organisations: Kidz Klub Leeds and LS14 Trust (previously Fall Into Place).

Contacts and their expertise

Email: Jenny Rutherford, Play strategy officer, Leeds Council:

• Lobbying for play within council
• Working with voluntary sector
• Evaluation and impact

Email: Catherine Peacock, Play streets community worker, Kidz Klub Leeds:

• Organising & supporting play streets
• Working with communities who face significant challenges

Email: Naomi Roxby Wardle, Children and Families Director, LS14 Trust:

• Overseeing play street enablement projects
• Supporting communities who are facing greater disadvantage
• Strategic advocating for play

Alison in North Tyneside

Over 100 street communities have “played out” in North Tyneside since 2015, mainly thanks to the hard work of Alison and other local parents. Play streets are now directly supported by North Tyneside Council. Alison also co-ordinates our play street forum.

Contacts and their expertise

Email: Alison Stenning, play street activator & researcher:

• Organising & supporting play streets
• Running a community organisation
• Growing play streets locally
• Working with the council
• Research, evaluation and impact – see Alison’s research here and here.

Sue and Martin in Cambridge/Cambridgeshire

Residents can hold play streets across Cambridgeshire, after a lot of hard work by a few people.

Contacts and their expertise

Email: Sue Jackson, Community development officer, Cambridge City Council:

• Supporting residents
• Promoting play streets

Email: Martin Ellwood, Highways officer, Cambridgeshire County:

• Highways processes (legal/liability/application etc)
• Setting up a council policy

Sam in Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton has had play streets since 2019 and the council has taken a very community-centred approach.

Contacts and their expertise

Email: Sam Axtell, Community involvement officer, City of Wolverhampton Council:

• Setting up a council policy
• Supporting residents, including those facing greater disadvantage
• Promoting play streets
• Incorporating play into other initiatives e.g. street parties, Big Lunch

Dave and Layla in Buckinghamshire

After much perseverance by local activists, Buckinghamshire launched its county-wide policy in 2022. They’ve promoted the idea widely and hope to grow play streets, particularly within communities facing greater disadvantage.

Contacts and their expertise

Email: Dave Furze, Community development, Community Transform:

• Community development– engaging & supporting new street organisers through the application process and beyond
• Promoting play streets to residents, voluntary, faith & community sector orgs, networks, decision makers and funders.
• Organising play streets and school play streets – help setting up and sustaining
• Lobbying the council, working with Highways
• Risk and liability issues

Email: Layla Ravey, Public Health Practitioner, Buckinghamshire Council:

• Setting up a council play street policy, working with Highways
• Working with residents and the third sector
• Promoting play streets from council perspective

Lesley in St Albans

St Albans has had play streets since 2019, thanks to the amazing hard work of two local activators who have also helped over 40 streets to play out.

Contacts and their expertise

Email: Lesley Flowers, Activator and trustee, Sustainable St Albans

• Supporting residents to organise play streets and street parties
• Lobbying for a council policy
• Organising a play street
• Promoting and growing play streets
• Legislative routes (Town Police Clauses Act)

Jo Markworth in Epsom, Surrey

Epsom and Ewell residents got a play street policy in 2023, after some determined lobbying from play street organiser Jo! She’s worked hard to make sure the council policy is simple and easy for residents and is also pushing for a standardised application process across Surrey.

Contacts and their expertise

Email: Jo Markworth, resident activator:

• Organising a play street
• Lobbying the council to get a play street policy
• Working with the council to improve the play street policy
• Promoting play streets

Josie and Jo in Kirklees

Kirklees council don’t yet have an official policy yet, but have held some successful trials and are now working towards this.

Contacts and their expertise

Email: Josie Gilbert, Community plus manager

Email: Jo Cove, Community connector, Kirklees Council

• Organising a trial session
• Advocating for a play street policy
• Liaising with Highways
• Empowering communities to make changes in their community via play street sessions