It has been announced this week that the Wansdyke Play Association will be moving its operation from Redfield Road to a new base at Midsomer Norton Town Hall, enabling it to work more closely with the newly-formed Midsomer Norton Community Trust and other resident community groups.
Wansdyke Play Association, founded in 1993, has developed an outstanding reputation for positive work to support children's play and the development of stronger communities through play, both in the Somer Valley and on the national stage. Their work includes management of local steering groups, regular communication with the police and youth offending teams, links with social care, schools and community groups. They ensure ongoing dialogue with the local authorities to inform strategic development of services at a local level. In addition, they give support and advice to local residents' groups and advocate on behalf of children and young people.
"We've witnessed the veritable transformation in recent years of the Town Hall into Midsomer Norton's premier community hub and, as an organisation, are keen to work with the new Community Trust to expand support for children's play in the area. With additional facilities such as the Orchard Hall and green spaces in the town, there is enormous potential for partnership working with the Trust," said Emma Hamilton, of the Wansdyke Play Association.
One of the main attractions of the Town Hall for the Wansdyke Play Association is the ability to only pay for exclusive use of a small office base and then hire by the hour a wide range of community spaces, simply for the time slots needed. In this way, the whole community benefits from having expensive buildings used to their maximum potential. Early this year, local counselling organisation, Off the Record, led the way when they moved into the Town Hall.
"The opportunity to work with the Wansdyke Play Association perfectly complements our existing operation by opening up exciting new opportunities to expand facilities for young people in the town. Watch this space in the coming months for a range of new initiatives as a result of this new working relationship," said Alex Davis, Community Development Manager at the Midsomer Norton Community Trust.
Practical arrangements to achieve the move are well in hand, so that the Wansdyke Play Association should be resident at the Town Hall by the end of March this year.