The Playing Field Winter 2013

Annual General Meeting

Geoff Dunn presenting Robin Elsdon-Dew with President’s Certificate

On Tuesday 23rd October 2012 the Surrey County Playing Fields Association held its Annual General Meeting at Reigate and Banstead Town Hall. The formal part of the Agenda did not take long, the significant part of it being the election of a new trustee and County Development Officer, Barry Hitchcock MBE. The Award to Robin Elsdon-Dew is thoroughly deserved. He has held a number of posts in the organisation: Area Development Officer, Director, Borough Development Officer, County Development Officer. He postponed his retirement to help us set up a new structure 2 years ago. Robin, we will miss you and trust that you will find more time to play golf. There were an number of important presentations. John Dodwell from Surrey Cricket described the ground inspection service provided by the Surrey Cricket Board. Dave Roberts explained how Surrey Football Association provided a like service. Both speakers are responsible for the grounds at public schools in Surrey; John Dodwell at Caterham, Dave Roberts at Charterhouse. Terry Housden from Fields in Trust spoke on the success of the Diamond Jubilee project, Queen Elizabeth II Fields. There are now 50 secured fields covering most of Surrey. Paul Garber, a trustee of both SCPFA & FIT, then explained how future developments must be sustainable. We need to make the best use of available resources. We thank all concerned for providing an enlightening, sociable and enjoyable evening.

Contents

1 Annual General

Meeting

2 New County

Development Officer

2 Fair Play Award

3 Awards to

Individuals

4 Children’s Play

5 QEII Fields

6 SCPFA Contacts

6 Safeguarding

Update

This newsletter is

produced quarterly

by

Surrey County

Playing Fields

Association

9 Copse Edge

Cranleigh, Surrey

GU6 7DU

Tel 01483 275628

Email: jim_faulkner@talk21.com

From the County Sec’s Desk 2 The work of the Surrey County Playing Fields Association is funded by subscriptions from local authorities at county and district levels and parish and town councils.

It also receives funding from Sports Clubs and individuals. Details are in our Annual Report.

We thank them all.

Organisations on SCPFA Advisory

Committee

Surrey County Athletic Association

Surrey County Council

Surrey County Football Association

Surrey County Lawn Tennis Association

Surrey County Rugby Football Union

Surrey Cricket Board

Surrey Sports Board

Active Surrey

Surrey Police

Surrey Community Action

We are grateful for their support and wise counsel.

The inclusion of any products or services in this

newsletter implies no endorsement by the

SCPFA.

Whilst every care is taken with the content no responsibility can be

accepted for errors or admissions made in good

faith.

New County Development Officer Barry Hitchcock has spent the last 45 years in university sport, including his time as a full-time student, apart from a short period spent teaching physical education in a secondary school. He was Assistant Sports Director at Brunel University from 1972 until 1980; he then moved to Surrey and was appointed Sports Director at the University of Surrey in 1991. His life-long passion for sport has seen him play county rugby and athletics and play and coach in the National Basketball League for ten years. During his professional life he worked closely with many National Governing Bodies of Sport, but especially golf and squash as well as a steadily increasing involvement in providing worthwhile sporting opportunities for people with all kinds of disabilities. He was Chair of Universities and Colleges Sport (UCS) – the National body for physical recreation/education professionals. UCS later amalgamated with others to form British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS), the current organisation running British student sporting competitions and representation. The culmination of his career was when work started on site for the Surrey Sports Park. This had been a 12-year-long project to sell the vision, produce an accepted feasibility plan, decide which sports to include and to what level, whilst working on the final building plans with the architects. He has come to the SCPFA as an accomplished sports player, coach and administrator. Doubtless he will soon learn our ways. We will gain from his experience and I take this opportunity to welcome him.

Fair Play Award The Fair Play Award for the 2012 Surrey Youth Games was won by the team from

Surrey Heath. We were very pleased to give the award together with a cheque for £250 for sports equipment. The picture shows our Chairman, Gerry Ceaser, making the award to Councillor Chris Pitt. This year’s Annual General Meeting will again be held at the Town Hall, Reigate & Banstead. The date is Tuesday 15th October 2013 at 6.30pm. There will be informative speakers, interesting company and a fine buffet. Please consider joining us.

New Newsletter In the past we have been producing a printed newsletter and issued it by post or hand. The editorial service provided by Gloucestershire PFA has been withdrawn. In Surrey we decided to produce a smaller letter, mainly distributed electronically. We are also setting up a new website which will be available soon. This newsletter and previous ones will be available on the site. We will include a section on Children’s Play. There will be news on developments in sport, both good and bad. We will include articles from our partner organisations. The Surrey County Playing Fields Association has been in existence since 1927. We have made significant contributions to securing and improving outdoor leisure facilities in Surrey. People now expect to find information which is easily accessible. We trust that the change to the newsletter and the new website will provide information on our activities and how to work with us.

Awards to Individuals 3

There were several lessons to be learnt form the 2012 Olympics. Amongst these were the need to support

volunteers and the understanding that youngsters need athletes to admire. This fits in with The Surrey County

PFA’s belief that a well maintained and well used field is unlikely to be lost.

Active Surrey held a vey successful County Sports Award evening on Sunday, 9 December at Mercedes Benz

World, Weybridge. The ceremony was hosted by BBC Surrey presenter Tim Durrans. Five previous Sports

Personality of the Year winners shared their experiences since winning the award. They were joined by

inspirational London 2012 torch bearers as well as some of Surrey’s medal winning Olympians and Paralympians.

The SCPFA sponsored the Young Volunteer of the Year Award and had a stand showing the work we had done

during the year.

This photograph shows the Young Volunteer of

the Year Award being presented to John

Humphreys. The award was made by Gerry

Ceaser, Chairman of the SCPFA.

They are flanked by 2 of the torch bearers who

helped take the Olympic Flame across Surrey.

Although we have concentrated on our interest,

we would like to thank all the others who

contributed to a successful event. This includes:

other sponsors, staff from Active Surrey, the

local sports councils and individuals who

nominated contestants.

Finally we should thank the Judges, who had the difficult task of picking winners from so many deserving people

and teams.

The SCPFA also gives small grants to potential international athletes. This is done using the expertise of the

SportsAid Foundation.

These photographs show David Gill, Director of SCPFA, making awards at events held by local sports councils.

We thank them for their hospitality. These evenings highlight the work done by these organisations in most

areas of the County.

Let your children run free - it’s safe to do so 4 The continued provision of children’s play areas is often taken as automatic; once provided, it is a bit like a washing machine. It keeps on working until something breaks and ‘maintenance’ is called to sort it out. Unfortunately in today’s litigious society with TV and local radio advertisements plus the internet enquiring as to whether you or a member of your family has received an injury that was not their fault, waiting until the breakdown occurs is not an option. There is a need (and a legal requirement) to be pro-active and to routinely check that any facility provided for public use is both fit for purpose and safe to use. Tragic accidents, although thankfully infrequent, do occasionally occur on children’s play areas. There is a need to actively check that all is as it should be and that nothing has occurred or been vandalised that could cause harm to the children using those very play facilities that are provided to encourage them to play away from unsuitable areas, such as the road or a garage block. Even when play facilities are provided within supervised schools or nurseries, accidents can still occur, as with the recent fatality (2012). This was the result of a rope being left dangling down a slide, which tragically resulted in a child being caught up in it and dying. There is also, quite understandably, a need to ensure that those responsible for checking that the play areas are ‘safe’ understand what they need to look for; that the operator knows that they are ‘competent’ in their task, whether they are volunteers or an authority employee. Be it removing the broken smashed cider bottle from the bottom of the firefighter’s pole, reporting the tree bough that broke off in the storm the previous night or advising that the swing seat had been vandalised back to a hard hitting metal element, every play area needs routinely checking. It unfortunately is all too often not the equipment that is at fault in an accident, it is that it has just not been maintained or regrettably has been vandalised. Play areas need to be properly and regularly inspected to ensure that all is well, commencing by ensuring that an operator’s own staff fully understand what they need to be looking for and how they need to carry out their routine (weekly) playground inspection. With this done, their manager can importantly confirm that their staff are ‘competent ‘. Short courses, at your own or local premises, are available to provide the necessary background knowledge. In addition to ensuring that they are properly aware of what needs to be checked, the operator will be able to assure Insurers and councillors that the play areas are being properly looked after. As well, if an accident was unfortunately to occur, they can provide the necessary details to confirm that the facilities were being appropriately looked after at the time. The greater the awareness and competence of those carrying out these necessary and all important checks, the greater the assurance of safety to the users of our playgrounds, the seed corn of our future, our children. Jean Wenger SCPFA Play Advisor

Robust SAFETY Inspections

Play & Sports areas, Parks, Ponds, Schools & Gyms

Detailed reports inspecting to approved UK & EU Standards

Risk Benefit Assessment & Guidance for prioritising actions

Identifying photographs & advice on problems found

Quality ‘Seal’ RPII Annual Play Inspectors Independent of any manufacturer or maintenance company

Training courses for weekly & ¼ ly inspectors (Ofqual registered)

30+ years’ experience Surrey County PFA Children’s Play Advisor

Institute of Expert Witnesses – full member

Contact Today – Active Risk Management Services Ltd

07970 764 804 jeanwenger@activerms.org

Queen Elizabeth II Fields 5

Holloway Hill Ashtead

Last year we had the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and Her Majesty’s designated legacy project for 2012 - the Queen

Elizabeth II Challenge. It gave local authorities and local communities the chance to create a legacy from the

Challenge and from the 2012 Games. It is important to secure valuable spaces for local communities to relax, have

fun and take advantage of the social and health benefits that sport and active lifestyles can provide.

We are pleased to report that Surrey has been one of the most successful counties by securing around 50 sites in

Trust. Our thanks to all the local communities and local authorities who have supported this important scheme.

There are two Councils who have not participated in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge. Some Councils have

participated but have not completed the legal work.

Some good news has come out this year. Several fields have not had an open day to receive their plaques. We

have been advised that there is still money available for “Have a Field” days. It is on a first come first served basis.

The legal work has to be completed before a field can be opened. Please make use of this money; Surrey may

have secured the fields; we have not been good at celebrating their opening. It would be a great pity to waste all

the good work already undertaken by losing impetus at the end of the Challenge.

As you can see, the plaques are quite attractive. Let us complete the projects

and ensure that the schemes are completed before we forget the celebrations

or the Olympics.

Please remember: secured fields are

more likely to receive outside financial

support.

Shere Playing Field

SCPFA Contacts 6 We have a contact for each council area in Surrey. We have one officer who looks after county wide projects; he can also put you in touch with the officer who is appropriate for your request. The details are shown below. County Development Officer

Mr Barry Hitchcock, MBE, Tel: 01483 410165 Email: barry.hitchcock@gmx.co.uk Borough Development Officers Elmbridge Vacant - please contact County Development Officer Epsom & Ewell Mr William Eve, Tel: 01372 725310, email: helen.howlett@ramhouse.co.uk Guildford Dr Mike Clark, Tel: 01483 574024, email: mikemclark@btinternet.com Mole Valley Mr Philip Sears, Tel: 01306 885371, email: pmsears@btclick.com Reigate & Banstead Mr Jack Ball, Tel: 01737 353778, email: jackball@btinternet.com Runnymede Mr Keith Heal, Tel: 01784 435423, email: wkheal@sky.com Spelthorne Mrs Shirley Winson, email: s.winson@care4free.net Surrey Heath Mr Grant Simmons, email: grants@ravenscote.surrey.sch.uk Tandridge Mr Denham Earl, Tel: 020 8660 6621, email: dm_laearl@hotmail.com Waverley - Eastern Mr Martin Maybrey BEM, Tel: 01483 893209, email: martin.maybrey@btinternet.com Waverley - Western Mr Brian Greig, Tel: 01252 793762, email: briangreig@fsmail.net Woking Mr Alwyn Bowen, Tel: 01483 828907, email: alwyn.b@ntlworld.com Other Officers you may need to contact are: Director Mr David Gill, Tel: 07798 667662, email: dandcgill@sky.com Honorary Planning Officer Paul Garber Dip TP, Dairy House, The Street, Capel, Dorking RH5 5ER Tel: 01306 711015 email: pgarber@btinternet.com Children’s Play Provision and Safety Advisor Mr Jean Wenger MIEW RPIIAM, 50 Hurst Park Road, Twyford, RG10 0EY Tel. 07970 764 804 email: info@activerms.org

Safeguarding Update

On 1st December 2012, the CRB merged with the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) to become the

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

The DBS was established under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and will provide a joined up service to

combine the criminal records and barring functions.

New forms for applications will have to be used on and after 1st March 2013.

It is important that those involved in Sport and Children’s Play understand the position. The following website

will clarify the position:

www.sportsandrecreation.org.uk/smart-sport/disclosure-and-barring-service.