According to the Association of Play Industries (API), the number of new orders for playgrounds in the UK has fallen to the lowest in eight years in the first quarter of 2014. The members have reported £42 million of orders so far this year, which is the lowest it has been since 2006. In a society when inactivity is a growing concern amongst children, this is a worrying sign.
The API represents British designers, installers, manufacturers and distributors of outdoor play equipment and surfaces and they have found that this is the fourth consecutive annual fall of orders in the first quarter. Following the previous government’s Play Strategy, 2010 saw a high of £198 million in orders. This year’s figures represent a drop of 33% since then. The Playbuilder Play pathway was scrapped by the coalition government in 2013 and it seems that the children are paying the price.
The API is citing a number of reasons for the drop in orders, including local authority spending cuts, discounting and delayed procurement decisions. According to the Chairman of the API, this is a worrying development for the future health of the nation, as well as the burden that inactivity can put on an already stretched NHS.
“The UK is suffering a physical inactivity epidemic which potentially threatens the lives of our children and even generations to come unless we begin to address this now,” said Chairman Michael Hoenigmann. “Reports calling out for a national cross-party, department and sector strategy to solve this situation are welcome but we must take action as soon as possible. It is imperative that the role of active play during a child’s early years is recognised at a policy level.”
It goes without saying that when children get used to an inactive lifestyle, this rarely changes into adulthood and paves the way for illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes as well as causing a general increase in the burden on the NHS. According to Mr Hoenigmann, “there is a strong case in favour for investment in high quality, accessible areas, spaces and equipment for children to play.”
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