A Very Happy Day in More Than One Way for Clearburn

Enchanted Birthday Party and Play for Clearburn’s first birthday, while the play area scoops a prestigious award.

There was a double celebration on Saturday when the news came in that Clearburn Natural Play & Picnic Area at New Lanark (part funded by the Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership and the Heritage Lottery Fund) was awarded a Nancy Ovens Play Award for 'Commendation for a community play space within a national tourist attraction'. 

The First Birthday celebrations were attended by up to 80 children and their families who, despite the wet weather, joined in the fun and games which included making fairy and elf potions with the Scottish Wildlife Trust, songs and dancing with Music With Ann Dante, a fairy door hunt, arts and crafts and, of course, balloons and birthday cake.

The award was given by the Nancy Ovens Trust which was set up in memory of Nancy Ovens MBE who campaigned tirelessly for over 40 years to improve play and youth work opportunities for children and young people across Scotland, the UK and internationally. An aim of the Trust is the promotion and the development of quality children's play provision and to this end, it has established the Nancy Ovens Play Awards (now in their fourth year); convening awards for a range of quality play achievements.

The criteria for the Awards requires children's play provision to show that they; actively involve children and young people in the design of their play areas; provide flexible and varied physical environment; provide for creative, social, active and quiet play; ensure play areas are physically and culturally accessible.

Donna Marshall, Manager at CAVLP, said: “We are enormously proud of the involvement that the Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership have had in the creation of this award winning imaginative play space; a space that can be enjoyed by the local community and visitors to New Lanark World Heritage Site for years to come.  The beauty of Clearburn is that as well as having play equipment, it also allows safe access to ‘wild’ areas like the burn and surrounding woods fitting perfectly with the CAVLP aim to create and encourage opportunities for natural play and connecting with the landscape. ”

However, this isn't Clearburn's first award. In March 2015, the Natural Play and Picnic Area was awarded a 'High Commendation' in the Scottish Civic Trust's 'My Place' Awards.

Here's to another year of enjoyment by locals and travellers alike!