Happy Days are delighted to be sponsoring Emily Lewis, Nursery Practitioner at Happy Days, Cheswick, to help her on her way to Kenya to build one of the FIRST Play Action International Playgrounds.
Play Action International are a play-based charity that is passionate about giving all children the chance to play. They go out to Uganda and now expanding into Kenya with a group of volunteers to build playgrounds, transforming their empty field into one that is bursting with colour and fun, and in the meantime leaving a legacy for children to learn and develop those essential life skills and nurturing their physical, psychological and social development through what children know best… Play!
After previously volunteering with them last August in Uganda, Emily has been given the chance to go out with them to Kenya and build a Play Action International playgrounds but needs to raise £1,350 to be able to do this. Happy Days were more than happy to donate to help Emily achieve her target.
Emily said, “After my previous experience, I haven’t stopped thinking about how incredible the experience was and haven’t stopped saying to my colleagues at Happy Days how much I would love to go back and do this again. Play is something I am so passionate about after my studies at university and my experiences at Happy Days and I want to be able to provide this knowledge to everyone around me! Play is such an amazing thing, the happiness it can bring to children’s faces and the learning that comes from a child’s play is so unexpected sometimes! I am so passionate about giving every child the opportunity to play, so this is why I am working with Play Action International again to make this happen!”
Jackie Cambridge, Head of Quality, commented, “Play influences the way a child’s brain develops and it is therefore fundamental that we recognise the importance of providing high quality play environments and experiences which nurture a child’s learning and development. Play enables children to explore and discover the world around them. During play children practise new skills as well as learning about themselves and those around them. The positive effects of play are far reaching, all children have the right to play!”
We wish Emily all the best and can’t wait to see the photos from her amazing trip!
Anyone wishing to donate can visit Emily’s Just Giving page: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/emilyinkenya