Pancakes In The Woods

Scolton Manor near Haverfordwest was the venue for Playday 2016 recently offering a brilliant selection of free fun things to do. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Over 30 activities were available from the public and the voluntary sector including making musical box guitars; bush-craft water sliding, storytelling, messy play and parent and child face painting. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Organised by the Pembrokeshire Play Partnership, Playday is the national day for play in the UK, traditionally held on the first Wednesday in August. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It allows thousands of children and their families to get out to play at hundreds of community events across the UK. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As well as a celebration of children’s right to play, Playday is a campaign that highlights the importance of play in children’s lives. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Now in its 29th year, Playday provides an ideal opportunity for communities to come together to celebrate, to play together and to have fun. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It also provides a platform to promote the benefits and positive impact that playing has on children’s mental and physical health, wellbeing and development. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Pembrokeshire County Council Cabinet Member for Housing and the Voluntary Sector, Alison Lee, was one of the visitors. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Lee said afterwards: “It was a great free day out – lots of fun for everyone with grown-ups joining in with the activities as well as the children. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Scolton is an ideal setting with lots of space to play as well as woods to explore. Everyone really got into the spirit of a day of play and fun.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

One of the participants, Charlie aged 10, said: “I enjoyed the whole day. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“My favourite things were the wall climb, the fire service smoke tent, having my fingerprints taken by the police, playing cricket, toasting marshmallows and making my own pancake in the woods. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Jeanette Clark, Project Development Manager with Pembrokeshire County Council, said: “It was rewarding that so many agencies could work together to provide a wonderful variety of play opportunities, many of which can be repeated at home for little or no cost. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“One of the highlights for me was a young lad leaving the messy play area face covered in I’m not sure what, but with the biggest grin I have ever seen.”
Damian Golden, the Council’s Play Sufficiency Officer who organised the event, thanked Mark Thomas at Scolton for his contribution towards the day and also providers from the public and voluntary sector for their hard work.
He added: “Every parent and child I spoke with told me that they enjoyed a fantastic day and a number were looking forward to next year’s event which will celebrate 30 years of Playday.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Caption ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Road safety advice was offered to youngsters and among them were Charlie Bakewell and, in uniform, Keisha-May Jones. Also pictured (from the left) are: Cllr Lee, Mark Thomas (Pembrokeshire County Council’s Museums Manager) and Damian Golden. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​