In these increasingly sedentary and ever busy times, our local community playing fields and play areas are the vital lungs for our community. They provide space for the community to meet and socialise.

They offer opportunities for children to play freely, for both formal and informal sport, for dog walkers, joggers; in short they are for the whole community regardless of age or background.

We often take for granted that our rural communities have access to a village playing field. This was however not always the case.

The Oxfordshire Playing Fields Association (OPFA) charity was founded in the 1930s in response to the fact that there was a huge shortage of secure playing field space in Oxfordshire.

At that time, the Association worked hard to change that situation, a legacy that can be seen now by the fact that the majority of our communities have a playing field.

Today the OPFA still works hard for the benefit of its members. In Oxfordshire most of the playing fields and play areas in our villages and market towns are provided and managed by town and parish councils or a playing field charity. OPFA provides help, advice and support to enable them to do this.

Advice from the OPFA is wide ranging and varied: ideas for how to use your playing field, how to improve your play area, ideas for play equipment, sources of funding, legislation, maintenance – even how to get rid of moles – the OPFA can help with all of these and more.

The OPFA Community Development Officer will help member groups through each stage of a project. It is not uncommon for a community group of volunteers, who have come together because they feel passionately that their local play area or playing field could do with some improvements, to feel a bit like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

They know what they want to achieve but they don’t know how; where to go for help or who to ask. OPFA can give the support needed, and understands how important these kinds of projects are for the health and well-being of a community.

If you feel passionate about your community playing field or play area the OPFA would love to help you; please get in touch. Nicole O’Donnell is the OPFA Community Development Officer and you can reach her via email at opfa@oxonrcc.org.uk or call 01865 883488.

The website is www.opfa.org.uk Nicole O’Donnell, Oxfordshire Playing Fields Association