On Friday the 23rd of September the Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt MS, visited the Association of Voluntary Organisations in Wrexham (AVOW) Play Team and Community Development Team at ‘The Land’ in Plas Madoc, to learn about their work supporting children, young people, and parents, funded through The National Lottery.
The Minister had the opportunity to see first-hand the positive impact that the organisation’s provision is having on their community. With the aid of The National Lottery Community Fund, the Play and Community Development Team is building on its existing play and youth provision and extending its reach into the wider community. Activities include play schemes and social and employment skills for young people. Over five years, the £485,861 grant will also support parents, carers and families with parenting skills, mental health support, financial advice, and education.
‘The Land’ is a junk playground serving children of Plas Madoc and beyond. Furnished with donated ‘junk,’ ‘The Land’ responds to children’s innate curiosity, encouraging their creativity and spontaneity. In addition, this funding has enabled AVOW to work creatively and responsively in response to community consultation, which identified the need for ‘The Land’ to be open at weekends, during times when other services are unavailable.
Claire Pugh, AVOW Play and Community Development Manager, said, “We were honoured to welcome the Minister to ‘The Land’ and introduce her to residents, volunteers and of course our children, so that she could see and hear the impact that The National Lottery funding is having within our community.”
Jane Hutt MS said, “It was brilliant to see first-hand the innovative facilities available at ‘The Land’ for children and young people to enjoy, where they can have fun in a controlled environment and see how everyday items around us can be reused in a variety of different ways. It is important we invest in community resources for future generations, and I welcome the funding from The National Lottery that has allowed this to happen.”
John Rose, Wales Director at The National Lottery Community Fund, said, “It’s incredibly rewarding to see the work that ‘The Land’ offer in their community, and it has been wonderful to see how they have managed to adapt their services throughout the lockdown period.”
If you would like to know more about AVOW or are interested in becoming an AVOW member, please contact [email protected] or phone 01978 312556 – or alternatively visit avow.org.
English (UK)