Over the past few months, we have been working on plans to transform our much-loved adventure playground (The Venchie) as part of wider improvements to our outdoor play spaces at Harmeny, making sure they continue to support the needs of our children and young people now and into the future.
Play is central to our therapeutic approach –Play, Learn, Attach, Relax (PLAR)– helping children and young people build confidence, develop relationships, regulate emotions and experience the joy and freedom that healthy play can bring. Our outdoor spaces play a vital role in making this possible every day.
As Harmeny has grown, including our work with more young people into adolescence, we need our grounds to offer spaces that are safe, functional, inclusive and engaging for different ages and needs. Some of our much-loved play areas are now ageing or no longer as effective as they need to be, including The Venchie, which has been part of Harmeny life for more than 30 years.
To help make these improvements possible, we launched Harmeny’s Play Appeal, to improve our outdoor spaces and create more opportunities for therapeutic play, activity, connection and calm. Thanks to generous donations and support, we have now raised enough funds to move forward with transforming our beloved Venchie.
Images from CAP.CO’s concept design proposal
Putting young people’s voices at the centre
To develop the plans, we have been working with CAP.CO, who have designed the proposals for the new Venchie and other play opportunities across our estate. In July, we welcomed them to share their designs with children, young people and adults from across our different teams.
There was a real sense of excitement throughout the visit. Our young people asked thoughtful and insightful questions, and shared valuable ideas about how the space might feel, how it could be used, and what would matter most to them.
Staff also contributed important feedback from a range of perspectives, including safety, everyday practice, different age groups, possible uses of the space, and how the designs can best support our PLAR approach. The visit was also a lovely reminder of the history, benefits and affection connected to The Venchie, a place of adventure, imagination, connection and many shared memories.
Next steps
This collective feedback is now helping CAP.CO and our team refine the design with the plan to start transforming our adventure playground from the autumn.
We are excited to see this much-loved space enter a new chapter. This is just the beginning, and we look forward to sharing the journey as The Venchie is transformed.
