Hello

This is the project's first blog so hopefully this is what you were hoping to find; a charity set up to promote and preserve play opportunities for London's children with the sort of play experiences most folk over 30 remember fondly.

My particular project, Street Play, takes that message home, right up to the doorstep in fact. The Big Lottery funded London play to put play back on a 100 residential streets in the shape of street parties with play at the forefront. Bunting, barbecues, road closed to traffic, neighbours hanging out, children running about from one activity to another and perhaps a bit of sunshine too.

We started in May 2008 and our funding runs until August 2011.

This blog will chart out last year as my colleague Catherine and I try to hit our 100 party target, tackle local authority sticks-in-the-mud, meet residents keen on making their community a friendlier place (and the always soon to be turned grumpy ones) and persuade people with money and power that a stronger society is best built from the grassroots up. And the strongest grassroots look like streets getting to know each other, building relationships and trust on the tarmac and under the bunting.

We'll let you know how we get on and post stuff we hope you'll enjoy or will perhaps inspire you to get to know your neighbours better through a similar event.


Paul Hocker

Coming next: Real life accounts from Street Party survivors