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360 Play Young Minds campaign
360 Plays ‘Young minds campaign’ aims to support children and families across our communities who have been isolated throughout the pandemic, those who have lost jobs, those who have been sick or those who have struggled to cope and need a helping hand back to normality. Passionate Dad, Owner and founder Duncan Phillips has pledged over £60,000 worth of tickets for children and families who have struggled through lockdown for 360 Play centres across the country. 
“As a father of two boys through lockdown and passionate about giving children the best start in life the pandemic has had a significant impact on the younger members of our society. Unfortunately we may only see the impacts when the world does start to return to normal but the warning signs are very clear to see; “ Duncan Phillips – Founder and Managing Director
We have closely followed the child health experts throughout the pandemic and considered where we could have an impact to help our children.
We have also watched our own families struggle through lock down and missing their peers.
“I am passionate that its now we need to get our children out from home lockdowns and start playing together with others in safe and creative settings that will help re introduce them to social interaction off screens. Through our Young Minds Campaign if we can reach out and give just one family some help right now it will have been a success. That’s why I am so proud to play our part reaching out to thousands of families who may not have the ability to access our sites to come along as or guests and play again in active and open settings.“ Duncan Phillips
In this campaign we are reaching out to our local communities to help find out who really need a day of carefree family fun. It’s more important now than ever that we look after our youngest generation and their developing minds. If you know someone in your community who would benefit from this we need you to nominate them.
For the first 30 days of 360 Play reopening, in stage three of the roadmap, we will be gifting over 50 tickets daily to the most deserving families in our communities. Friends, families, local charities or CAHMs teams can nominate families who they consider would benefit from a play date together.
Our children have struggled with isolation throughout the pandemic, all their usual social interaction with family and friends that shapes who they are has gone. Parents have been working from home whilst home schooling and providing childcare. Babies have been born who have never met or had interaction with other babies or adults.
Research show that the formative years are intrinsically important to a child’s development and that the role of play is vital for both psychological and physical growth.
Alison Morton – Head of The Institute of Health Visiting says services have been badly hit during the pandemic with specialist nurses pulled away from their duties to help out on the Covid front line. In some areas, health visitor numbers have dropped by half. Meanwhile, the absence of baby and parent groups, and the friendships that naturally develop from them, has meant the babies of the pandemic have not benefited from the stimulus of social contact that is vital to their development.
For the majority of the school aged children all of their home schooling activities and hobbies have been through screens on their televisions, iPads and computers. Screens have been used (understandably so) as virtual baby sitters for younger children so parents can continue to work and we all feel the frustration of daily Zoom calls!
The 360 Play Young Minds Campaign has been created by Duncan with the support of his management teams across our centres and the backing of local MPs, children’s mental health charities, local businesses and more.
To find out more or nominate a family you feel would benefit from this campaign visit our website.
360play.co.uk/news-blog/
For further information or if you have any questions please contact us
Anne Basketfield e:anne@dpleisure.co.uk t:07733381022
Duncan Phillips e:duncan@dpassociates.uk.com
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