Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground benefits from new partnerships

Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground has been part of the Leys for close to fifty years, running an after-school club and holiday playscheme for children aged 8 to 13.

Complete with an outdoor adventure playground alongside the main hall, it’s wheelchair accessible, welcomes children from every background, and for a lot of families in the area is a crucial childcare provider.

Employment in Blackbird Leys is slightly higher than the Oxfordshire average, at 66% against 64%, but child poverty sits at 22%, twice the county figure of 11%. This data shows that even though families are working more than the rest of county, many parents are struggling to make ends meet.

At Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground (BLAP), childcare sessions are charged on a sliding scale depending on what a family can afford, making it more accessible to people who might struggle to pay. Councillor David Newman, vice chair of the Greater Leys ward, got in touch with us to flag that BLAP was struggling financially and to ask whether we could help with their energy bills, through an assessment and whatever efficiency measures made sense.

The expert team at Low Carbon Hub’s Energy Solutions Oxfordshire programme first carried out a free energy assessment of the building, which is on a 15-year lease from Oxford City Council, made up of an entrance room, a main activity area, a couple of small staff rooms, a quiet room, kitchen, toilets and various storage spaces. The report pointed to solar PV as the biggest opportunity, alongside roof insulation, double glazing, pipe insulation and better heating controls, so there was a clear list of what would help once the funding was in place.

That funding came together from a few different sources. Morgan Sindall happened to be looking at how to use their Thames Valley environmental, social and governance support funding. We made contact and put BLAP forward on the strength of what it means to the community. They have since allocated £25,000 towards the energy improvements suggested in our Energy Solutions Oxfordshire report. Alongside that, Tristan Turner, our electrical engineer apprentice, has been giving up some of his free time to help with the smaller (but invaluable!) jobs and to assess the roof for solar, which has kept things moving without adding to the cost.

Low Carbon Hub has a strong understanding of Oxfordshire and the needs of its communities. By working together, we can combine that local knowledge with Morgan Sindall Construction’s experience, resources and supply chain relationships. This allows us to support projects that respond to what local people genuinely need and create benefits that will last.

Dennis Owusu, Social Value Manager, Morgan Sindall

Separately, through our CAPZero Cowley Local Sprints, supported by the Zero Carbon Oxfordshire Partnership, we’d already made a connection with Unipart, who run a local charity of the year scheme. We suggested BLAP as a fit for that, given everything else coming together around them, and Unipart have since named BLAP their charity of the year. The two organisations are now directly in touch with each other, so they can work out what that support looks like day to day.

Many people in Blackbird Leys are affected by fuel poverty, but the area also has a strong community spirit and trusted organisations like BLAP. By investing here, we can build on the great work already happening locally. Our Just Transition funding is about helping communities become more resilient, creating opportunities and making sure local people benefit from the move towards a greener future.

Dennis Owusu, Social Value Manager, Morgan Sindall

This is amazing news! Thank you so much. Even better, next April is our 50th anniversary from when BLAP opened.

Tanisha, Play Coordinator, Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground

We’re now meeting with BLAP’s board to work out how best to coordinate everything including Morgan Sindall’s funding, Unipart’s support, and the practical work of getting the measures from the report installed.