Farewell Gracie!

It goes without saying, that Play Bradford wouldn’t be where it is today, if it wasn’t for our amazing staff team. Each member brings something different, broadens ours and the children’s horizons on a daily basis. Over the years, we haven’t seen that many people come and go so when one of our team does decide to fly the nest, it’s a big thing. Especially, when that person has such great working relations with the children, parents and staff team.

This blog is dedicated to Gracie, our Foodie Coordinator who has been with us for just over 8 years and who is sadly leaving us to go travelling. Her positive energy and imagination is something that we loved from day one and admire so much. Her ability to connect with children is something so special and an aspect both us and the children will miss greatly.  

We had a little catch up with Gracie to get her thoughts on her time with us and what she hopes for the future…

How long have you been with Play Bradford for?

I have been with Play Bradford for 8 years. Which feels crazy to say. I volunteered here back when it was Eccleshill Adventure Playground, for around three months. I then started to work every Saturday and the ball just carried on rolling from there. I’ve worked as a fulltime ‘Lead Playworker’ for three years and just loved every moment of it. The fact that I’ve never left after this time shows how much I’ve loved it – as I tend to get fed up quite easily and move on! It’s been a home away from home which has never felt like I’m coming to work.

Tell us a little bit more about your role?

So, I’m the Food Coordinator, as well as help with running the daily play sessions. The role of ‘Head Chef’ emerged when Play Bradford began increased its healthy snack offer to providing children a hot, nutritious meal. It’s amazing to see what a difference this meal makes. More often than not, we’ll get multiple children ask for food an hour into the session (the sessions are normally 2- 4 hours long), because they’re so hungry. Once they’re fed, it’s astounding the effect it has on them. The children are more focused, engaged and energised – their mood also shifts into being more positive too.

(We stop the chat briefly as Gracie, gets a bubbling apple and pear crumble out of the oven).

I’ve loved creating all sorts of different meals for the children. The amount of food we get from the food banks is astounding and it changes each time too – so there’s a real opportunity to be experimental which I love! One of the trickiest parts, is trying to get as much veg in there without any of them noticing, as some of them can be quite picky. All I can say is that the blender has been used *a lot*.

What have you loved most about your time at Play Bradford?

To be honest, I can’t pick out one singular moment as my whole Play Bradford journey has been amazing. From holding over 100 children in our summer sessions, to playing ‘Survivor’ with a handful of kids. Each day is different and every session provokes something new. One thing I will say though, is that I’ve loved seeing the children come in as tiny dots and grow into independent young adults. The bravery, confidence and kindness that these kids have is truly so inspiring and being a part of their growth is something that I will cherish forever.

With food being such a big part of my role over the past few years, I have loved learning about what each child likes or dislikes and getting feedback on the meal I’ve created. The Octipod has been an amazing addition as we now have a fully functioning kitchen, so there is so much more space to create!

We now have a serving window which allows me to pass the meal to the child directly. This has created a lovely opportunity to connect with the children further, have a giggle, and get to know them that little bit more. It also gives the children another chance to chat with other people they might not have necessarily played with or met before which is really nice to see.

Favourite part of the playground?

Over the past 8 years, there have been so many amazing additions to the playground so it’s so hard to choose a favourite part. Saying that, I do love the treehouse. We’ve played so many fantasy games in there and because it’s slightly hidden from everything else, the kids are really immersed into whatever they’re playing. I also love the sandpit. It’s a really calming place where conversations between the children just flow. It’s a completely different vibe and I think because it’s away from all the madness, it’s a place where children feel like they can just open up about what’s on their mind.

What are your hopes for Play and Play Bradford in the next 10 years?

I’d love to see Play be embedded into parents and family’s mindsets and for them to take on this playful approach to life. When parents/carers come down to the sessions and see the positive effect it has on the children, you can tell that they know it’s good for them and it has so many benefits. I think because some people haven’t been exposed to such options before, it’s hard for them to know the changes Play can make to people’s lives.

I’d also love to see a shift in educational services adopting more Outdoor Learning and Forest Schooling. One of our Bradford Community Play Partners, Sarah Goldsmith, from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, comes up to the site often and shows us all of the ways we can intertwine nature into play and learning. We’ve recently added a herb garden, which will be great for educating the children on flavouring food and using natural ingredients in cooking.

One thing that Play Bradford, has been great at is championing children’s voices and letting them have a say towards their environment and the service the charity provides. It’s so important to give this empowerment to kids and allowing them to have active voices. This is something that I hope continues, not only at Play Bradford but in other communities and organisations too.

It goes without saying that I have truly loved my time at Play Bradford, and I’d like to give the biggest shout-out to the team, especially the manager Janet, who has been brilliant and believed in me since Day One. It’s been a privilege to be a part of everyone’s journey over the years – so keep on being amazing guys – you’re the best!