On the 10-year anniversary of the London 2012 Olympics, Playinnovation has helped transform a unused space into a thriving community hub in Newham, North London.
Working together with local residents, Playinnovation completed an incredible refurbishment of two previously unusable ball courts and a central activity zone just a stone’s throw from the Olympic Village.
The new playzone includes four of Playinnovation patented target games, art design basketball backboards and Playinnovation’s signature white “Hype” combi goals with sensory basketball backboards in pinks and yellows to reflect sunshine.
The new playzone in Alma Street – which will be capable of hosting a number of sports and activities – is at the heart of the Greener Together initiative, a project designed to help tackle social and environmental inequalities through community action.
Greener Together is a partnership between local residents, environmental charity Hubbub, the Mayor of London, Ten Years' Time and Afterparti. The pioneering, community-led project brings residents and local authorities together to take climate action and create a greener, healthier, and more connected neighbourhood.
The initiative – which was funded by Hubbub and the Mayor of London, with additional funding provided by Newham Council, Ecosia and Bloomberg Philanthropies as part of the Breathe London network – has given a voice to one of the most environmentally impacted communities in London, and is helping combat social isolation and anti-social behaviour.
Playinnovation founder, Marco Boi, said: “What a day. What a project. What a community.
“We have created a space in which all children and young people, regardless of age or ability, will feel confident to play sport, to be active and to exercise. By doing so, we are helping to tackle the social inequalities in the area by providing the community a space for everyone to get physically active in.
“Working closely with the local community – as part of the Greener Together project – we’re proud to have contributed to something which has not only empowered the residents to create more green spaces for the community to enjoy, but has also helped them combat social isolation and anti-social behaviour.”
Rhiannon Ashley, Creative Partner at Hubbub added: “The Greener Together project has really demonstrated the power of people coming together to take climate action and shown that we can make a difference. Seeing the Alma Street residents working together to create a greener, healthier and more connected neighbourhood has been incredible and we hope it will inspire many more Londoners to engage with their community as well.”
