Weavers Adventure Playground started in 1974.
During the summer holidays, children and play scheme workers from Oxford House built structures from “old junk” on a piece of waste land next to Weavers field park.
A group of parents known as the Weavers Adventure Playground Group at Oxford House worked to turn this piece of waste land into an adventure playground. After discussions with Tower Hamlets Council, the playground was leased the land in 1974.
Parents wanted their children to have a safe enclosed space to play rather than in an open space like a park. They wanted to involve people in the community in running the adventure playground.
Clip 1 – Errol Wynter: Parents securing a closed-off piece of waste land.
Listen below to Errol Wynter describing how Weavers began.
Clip 2 – Brian Williams: Oxford House and fundraising for the building at Weavers.
Below Brian Williams talks about the start of Weavers Adventure playground as a permanent site, which was marked by the creation of a building (still present to this day).
The funds for this building were secured by a fundraising committee at Oxford House which included members of the community.
Clip 3 – Jack Anderson: Meaning and purpose of Weavers.
Jack Anderson talks about how an adventure playground is a space where children can have fun, create things, and share ideas with each other.
Clip 4 - Steve Odlum: An alternative source of education for young people.
Steve Odlum describes how the youth workers at Weavers nurtured the ambitions and creativity, encouraging the young people they worked with to develop their talents and interests.
Clip 5 – Valerie Thompson: playworkers were kind and happy.
Valerie Thompson talks about how youth workers at Weavers were role models. They smiled and were open.
Clip 6 – Linda Kelly: playworkers were like our aunties and uncles.
Linda Kelly talks about how playworkers were like family. They built safe, open, and trustful relationships at Weavers.
