CEED wants to encourage residents to get outside, to be active and to engage with their community. Supported by the Friends of Roker Park, we want to encourage people to discover and make the most of Roker Park. Family Sessions: aimed at families with children probably up to 10 – 12 years (but very much depending upon the individuals…), activities will be generally focused around nature, the environment, exploration and discovery. We will have a mix of self- led activities, where we hand out resources and families use their kit and resources around the Park and CEED led sessions – in order to ensure we follow appropriate good practice at that time. Maps, treasure trails, scavenger hunts, minibeasts and crafts will engage little and big people with the natural world. Simple traditional games will provide easy to join in fun, who will be the summers best hula hooper? We will also be working with the park user groups to support have a go sessions - bowls, boats and trains.

What we'll deliver:

• 6 family sessions in Roker Park for minimum of 50 people
• 4 family sessions at RokerPods (Roker seafront) for minimum of 50 people
• 6 'Have a Go' sessions with Park model boats, bowls and model engineers (mini Railway)
• Provide 4 'Brew and a natter' opportunities by the Friends for people to share views and opinions on Roker Park

Why it's a great idea:

Spending time outdoors, especially in green spaces, is accepted as one of the fastest ways to improve your health and happiness! CEED and the Friends of Roker Park want to provide fun, promote wellbeing and highlight the beauty of the Park and seafront and encourage people to find to new ways to get out and enjoy natural spaces. This year, more than ever, local people want reasons and extra inspiration of how to engage and entertain their families outside. Our project will provide those opportunities. Activities will also foster a sense of appreciation, understanding and respect for the Park - we want to help to protect the park by allowing people to discover and to enjoy it. Little hands need to discover nature, to get mucky, to explore and discover in order to develop a love of nature and of the outdoors. People enjoying the model trains and having a go at Bowls or Model boats will further provide fun ways to be in the park and also to increase support for these groups.

Steps to get it done:

• Design a programme of summer activities with set dates
• Work with all Park user groups to coordinate and plan sessions
• Publicise sessions through local venues, email networks and social media
• Deliver fun and engaging sessions over the summer

CEED is leading on this project, but is working closely with The Friends of Roker Park. The Friends group has reformed in recent years and is actively working to promote Roker Park, to improve facilities and to provide a better park and activities for all. After a year of lockdown, this project is intended to just provide fun opportunities for all to get outside, to use and to appreciate the Park and to support everybody's wellbeing. The Friends will use the sessions to have a presence in the Park to gain further feedback from Park users on changes, plans and activities and to encourage membership and engagement with the group.