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The idea
Rotunda seeks funds to develop our existing Forest School area, to promote physical activity amongst our Kids' and Youth Club users.
This investment will enable Rotunda to install exciting outdoor equipment that will encourage children to exercise e.g. a climbing wall, wooden obstacle challenge, mini zip line and fitness/ balance frames. Our young people love climbing on our existing wooden feature, but it is now in need of maintenance (after much use) and children have fed back that they want an animal shaped feature and tree house to play in.
We will also use some of the funds to create a seating circle around our fire pit and to secure our hammock play feature. Both are a much-loved part of our Forest School. However, currently children have to sit on the ground for Story-Time and our hammocks would be better placed hanging between permanent wooden structures to ensure we don't damage our young trees. Proper seating will complete the outdoor experience we already offer.
What we'll deliver
- wooden obstacle challenge frame
- climbing nets and ropes
- tree house
- animal shaped wooden feature
- hammocks pals
- fitting and labour costs
- logs for the seating area
Why it's a great idea
The total population of Rotunda Medium Super Output Area (MSOA) was 15,965 people in 2021 (OCSI) and 18.94% are children aged under 16. Given Kirkdale's history as a highly industrial area, green space is at a premium, with free supervised outdoor play areas a rarity. Rotunda offers a beautiful community garden, complete with allotment, Forest School, peaceful seating areas, a wood fired pizza oven and lots of room to run around away from busy roads. The area has higher levels of air pollution (1.157 IoD Air quality indicator score) than England (0.957 IoD score) and Liverpool (1.100 IoD score), making our leafy welcoming community green space a much needed local asset.
The new outdoor forest school active zone will encourage children to be more physically active and exercise, improving fitness and balancing skills, and enriching the outdoor experience. It is used by children and youth who visit our community hub during half term, summer holidays and after school clubs. clubs.
Steps to get it done
- clear the ground for the active zone in the woodland area
- purchase the equipment
- secure a building and fitting company
- fit the equipment into the ground
- announce the opening of the new active zone
12.07% of people living in Rotunda's MSOA are living in 'bad or very bad health', compared to 5.15% in England and 7.98% in wider Liverpool.
Rotunda wish to continue our work engaging young people in enjoyable physical exercise and healthy, fresh meals from our allotment now to improve these statistics in the future. The garden is also used for our regular and seasonal community events where all the local community gathers here.
We have recently invested in developing our garden kitchen, which is now used for healthy cooking classes and cooking on the fire-pit, as part of our forest school offer.
