Play England

24/09/2026

Playces is moving into pre-launch early access.

Ahead of its formal launch at the National Play Conference on 8 October, Playces is now being opened up to local authorities and partners who want to explore the platform and understand how it can support better decision-making for children’s play.

Playces is being developed as a national spatial evidence platform for play. It brings together data on almost 34,000 playgrounds across England and helps build a clearer picture of:

• where play provision exists
• how close children are to play provision
• how provision relates to deprivation and inequality
• where gaps in provision may remain
• how areas compare locally, regionally and nationally

If we are serious about creating better conditions for all children to have the time, space, opportunity and freedom to play, then local authorities, funders and government need a much clearer understanding of what provision exists, who it serves and where investment is most needed.

Playces has been developed through a collaboration between Play England, The University of Sheffield and Passport365 bringing together sector leadership, research and spatial evidence, and technology.

The next few weeks are an important pre-launch phase. Local authorities and partners can arrange an early-access walk-through demonstration, explore the platform and begin considering how it could support planning, investment and wider place-based decision-making.

Formal launch: 8 October at the National Play Conference.

Visit playces.uk or contact [email protected] to arrange a demo

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24/09/2026

We’re proud to be supporting the National Play Conference and Awards 2026, sponsoring both the Children’s Voice Programme and the Sector Award.

It’s an important opportunity for the play industry to be part of the wider conversation about the future of play - while ensuring children’s voices are heard and recognising those working to strengthen the sector.

Read more about API’s involvement: https://api-play.org/resource/api-supports-inaugural-national-play-conference-and-awards.html

Play England

19/09/2026

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18/09/2026

Play England’s 2026 Annual General Meeting will take place on Thursday 8 October at 14:00 at the University of Warwick.

www.playengland.org.uk/newsblog/play-england-2026-agm

The AGM will cover our Annual Report and Accounts for 2025/26, adoption of the revised Memorandum & Articles of Association, the appointment of an Independent Director/Trustee (Treasurer), and the nomination and election of Elected Directors/Trustees.

Following the formal AGM, there will also be an opportunity for general questions and updates with the Board and Executive Director, followed by a Play England History Quiz led by Dr Wendy Russell.

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Play England will hold its 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday 8 October 2026, from 14:00–15:00, at the University of Warwick. The AGM forms part of our National Play Conference and Awards programme, taking place on 8–9 October 2026. Purpose of the AGM The AGM will present Play England

17/09/2026

to the inaugural Play Their Way podcast - “We play sport, we don’t ‘sport’ sport”

https://youtu.be/vooy-XGofB4

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🎧 Have you had a chance to listen to our first episode of the podcast yet?

Don't miss this thought-provoking discussion between host Laura-Jane Jones and guest Eugene Minogue of Play England on the danger of 'sportising' children and the importance of play as the foundation of all movement: https://bit.ly/3ErVzrg

16/09/2026

Playces to formally launch at the National Play Conference

www.playengland.org.uk/newsblog/university-of-sheffield-experts-to-launch-playces-at-the-national-play-conference

Developed through collaboration between The University of Sheffield, Play England and Passport365, Playces is a new national spatial evidence platform designed to support better planning for play.

At the Conference, Dr Michael Martin and Dr Paul Brindley from the The University of Sheffield will showcase the platform and explore how better evidence can help identify inequalities in provision, target investment and support a stronger approach to play sufficiency.

They will be joined by Gemma Hyde from the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) and a representative from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, bringing together evidence, planning, policy and investment.

This work builds on the The University of Sheffield’s contribution to Play England’s national planning work and the evidence underpinning the Government’s £18 million Playground Fund.

📍 National Play Conference: Creating the Conditions for Play
📅 Friday 9 October 2026
📍 The Slate, University of Warwick
Book your place: www.playengland.org.uk/conference

Playces, the new national digital platform designed to support evidence-led planning for play provision, will be formally launched at the National Play Conference on Friday 9 October 2026. The launch will be led by Dr Michael Martin , Lecturer in Urban Design and Planning, and Dr Paul Brindley ,

14/09/2026

🏆 Who is creating the conditions for children to play?

Nominations are now open for the inaugural National Play Awards 2026 🎉

https://www.playengland.org.uk/newsblog/nominations-open-for-the-inaugural-national-play-awards-2026

For the first time, we will bring together and celebrate outstanding contributions to children’s play across England - from children, communities and volunteers to playworkers, planners, researchers, local government, health, education, designers, funders and many more.

There are six awards:
🔹 Spaces Award
🔹 Skills Award
🔹 Sector Award
🔹 Society Award
🔹 Children’s Play Personality of the Year
🔹 Play Personality of the Year

The two Personality awards are equal headline honours, recognising the outstanding annual contribution of children and adults.

Rooted in Play England's 10 years strategy - It All Starts with Play! every award asks the same fundamental question:

What changed for children and their freedom and opportunities to play?

These are not awards for the biggest organisation or the most polished entry. We want to find the people, places, practice and progress genuinely creating the conditions for play.

✅ Free to nominate
📅 Closing 5.00pm, Friday 25 September 2026
🏆 Winners announced 8 October in Warwick

Who deserves to be recognised?

Nominate now👉 https://www.playengland.org.uk/national-play-awards

Nominate the people, places, projects and organisations creating the conditions for children’s play in England. The inaugural National Play Awards are free to enter.

05/09/2026

Dr Naomi Lott confirmed for the National Play Conference 2026

www.playengland.org.uk/newsblog/dr-naomi-lott-to-speak-at-national-play-conference-2026

Dr Naomi Lott, one of the UK’s leading academic voices on children’s right to play, will speak at the inaugural National Play Conference on Friday 9 October at the University of Warwick.

Naomi’s work focuses on how children’s right to play can move from principle into practice. Her STAR framework, Space, Time, Acceptance and Rights, provides a practical way of understanding the conditions children need in order for that right to be realised.

At the Conference, Naomi will explore how STAR can help shape better decisions across play, planning, education, health, local government and wider society.

Her contribution goes to the heart of this year’s theme: Creating the Conditions for Play

The announcement follows confirmation that MHCLG will also speak at the Conference, with further speakers to be announced over the coming weeks.

📅 Friday 9 October 2026
📍 University of Warwick

🎟️ Book your place and join the national conversation: www.playengland.org.uk/conference

Dr Naomi Lott , one of the UK’s leading academic voices on children’s right to play, will speak at the inaugural National Play Conference at the University of Warwick on Friday 9 October 2026. A Lecturer in Law at the University of Reading and Associate Fellow at the Bonavero Institute of Human

26/08/2026