We are thrilled to have donated £1,000 from our Community Impact Fund to Oxfordshire Play Association (OPA).
The charity delivers play projects, play training and infrastructure support services to children and their families across Oxfordshire.
OPA’s Vision is to ‘Improve Lives Through Play.’ Their mission is to champion and to support the rights of all children and young people to have access to high quality, inclusive, play opportunities to improve their physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
In 2025, one of the areas the charity will be delivering projects in the Blackbird/Greater Leys area which is one of Oxfordshire’s most deprived areas.
Our £1,000 grant will go towards OPA’s upcoming free Play and Activity Day at Frys Hill Park in Greater Leys. The event is one of a series which aim to improve physical and mental wellbeing, promote healthy lifestyles and provide information about services and activities available locally. It ties in with National Playday on Wednesday 6 August, an annual celebration of the child’s right to play.
Since 2012, the charity has delivered over 150 playdays to over 160,000 guests. We’re proud to have given funding to two previous events, at Northway in 2023 and Rose Hill in 2024.
Playing is known to improve physical and mental wellbeing, but many children have missed out due to cuts to local children’s centres and youth services, the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. As a result, there’s been a stark increase in children’s mental health problems, loneliness and reduced physical activity.
Martin Gillett, Manager at OPA, said: “Without the financial and practical support of our key partners such as GreenSquareAccord, we would not be able to deliver our project work and services with our key selling point of offering our projects free to beneficiaries and service users to ensure an inclusion for all. We are very grateful to GreenSquareAccord for their support over many years.”
The funding is provided by our Community Impact Fund, an initiative designed to support voluntary and community groups across our localities. As of April 2025, the fund has been increased to offer grants of up to £2,000 to projects that benefit our customers and the communities they live in.
Sian Every, our Community Investment and Social Lead, said: “We are so pleased to continue supporting OPA, who have helped Oxfordshire’s young people since 1974.
“It’s crucial that we protect the mental and physical health of children, especially during the cost-of-living crisis when extra-curricular activities are being deprioritised.
“I look forward to hearing about the continued impact of OPA’s Play and Activity Days.”
Find out more about our Community Impact Fund here.