Play in the Hutt has received the Outstanding Project award at the 2020/21 Recreation Aotearoa Awards .

The award confirms Play in the Hutt is an example of an exceptional recreation programme and recognises the role that play has in improving the wellbeing of the community.

Led by Hutt City Council’s Sport, Recreation and Play team in partnership with Sport NZ, Healthy Families Hutt Valley and local community, the programme seeks to improve health and happiness of tamariki by creating opportunities for play to thrive in neighbourhoods across Te Awakairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt.

One initiative that celebrates play in the community - Play Streets - lets neighbours make the most of temporary traffic restrictions, creating the chance for tamariki to play freely and safely outside their homes.

Lower Hutt schools have also seen the quality of active play improve with initiatives like Pukutākaro, which brings a van full of sports gear and other ‘wow’ items that our young people might typically not get the opportunity to play with.

"This is a chance to thank the members of the community who have come with us on the journey so far," says Sam Dickie, Senior Community Recreation Programmer for Hutt City Council.

"Residents running trials of the Play Streets means the events now become a core part of our movement; encouraging whānau to play every day. Likewise, schools who use Build & Play and Pukutākaro have helped rangatahi and tamariki grow with quality physical activity through play."

"Community groups giving their time and space have increased access to play for rangatahi and tamariki. So too have sponsors, like CK & Co Realty, who help make these projects sustainable."

Recreation Aotearoa, the body for industry professionals, hosted the awards ceremony online on 6 April 2022, after two years of delay due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Play in the Hutt was nominated for the Community Impact category of the Recreation Aotearoa Awards in 2020.

In 2021, the programme received a Kūmara Award for its impact in connecting communities while increasing the visibility of play in public spaces.

To find out more about Play in the Hutt, visit www.activeinthehutt/play.

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