ParkPlay is heading to Trafford this spring – and it’s going to be fun all the way!

ParkPlay, which runs free, informal games and activity, every Saturday morning, has teamed up with Trafford Council to launch two new ParkPlay locations in Trafford. 

Funded by the Human Race group, organisers of the popular adidas Manchester Marathon and the Manchester Half, ParkPlay will launch in Longford Park and Cross Lane Park this Spring to encourage everyone to be more active outdoors and bring communities together.

ParkPlay brings people from local communities together in parks and green spaces across the country for two hours of free, informal games and activity, every Saturday morning. It offers people of all ages and abilities the chance to play together and connect in a relaxed, safe and welcoming setting. ParkPlay is run by the local community for the local community. Set up, support, training and infrastructure are provided by the ParkPlay team. Everyone’s invited.

Andrew Smith, Human Race CEO said:

“We’re delighted to fund this fantastic and fun initiative owing to the adidas Manchester Marathon – in which £1 of every entry goes into the Trafford Active Fund which is distributed to community-based projects. ParkPlay’s values of community, getting active and fun are ones that we support, and we are looking forward to seeing the project grow”.

Cllr Catherine Hynes, Executive Member for Leisure, Arts, Culture and Heritage, said: 

“Trafford Council is committed to reducing health inequalities in our communities and promoting health and wellbeing so we are delighted to be launching the ParkPlay scheme in the borough. These schemes will bring families and individuals together to enjoy the great outdoors and become fitter and healthier. This is a fabulous community-friendly initiative and I look forward to the launch in the spring.”

In the last 24 months with the support of Sport England, ParkPlay has successfully launched 55 ParkPlays from Cornwall to Cumbria with over 10,000 registered participants.

“After a stressful, busy week, lots of people enjoy mucking about playing and hanging out with their friends and neighbours at ParkPlay,” says CEO Rick Jenner. “We connect people and build community. ParkPlay is tackling some of the most pressing social issues of our time – lack of exercise, isolation, mental health and need for escape. As we recover from Covid and now face the cost of living crisis it’s never been more important to give communities free ways to connect and boost their wellbeing.”

ParkPlay is playing a critical role in supporting people’s health and happiness, with those hardest hit over the past couple of years benefiting most. ParkPlay’s recent research showed that 81% of ParkPlayers agree that ParkPlay has improved their mental wellbeing, and 74% say the amount of activity they do as a family has increased.

Would you like to get involved? Become a PlayLeader?

ParkPlay has rolled out across nine regions to date; Somerset, Hertfordshire, Essex, West London, Cornwall, Leeds, County Durham, Cumbria and Leicestershire and Rutland. Continued support from partners will help ParkPlay evolve and grow further into 2024, and positively impact communities across the country. ParkPlay’s vision is to change lives and strengthen thousands of communities with millions of ParkPlayers across the UK.

Find your local ParkPlay

Please visit our ParkPlay Parks page to find your local ParkPlay and come and join us for your ParkPlay session. We play every Saturday morning.