Pupils at Ballacottier School now have two play bins thanks to a Douglas based business optimisation company. The play bins are metal containers filled with a whole host of everyday items such as plastic sheets, cardboard boxes, tyres, plastic pots and barrels and bits of old rope which children use to play games. Play bins encourage children to use their imagination to find their own uses for everyday items. Research shows that this type of play develops creativity and team work as they construct their own imaginary worlds. But safety is of paramount importance, and an assessment of all the materials contained within the bins is carried out before children are allowed to use it.
The play bins initiative was devised by The Children’s Centre and funded with support from the Wooden Spoon charity. It began around three years ago and there are now around 11 play bins at primary schools across the Island. Auxesia Ltd’s donation of ?7,000 also complements a Ballacottier School project to promote learning through play. Auxesia Ltd Directors Stuart Colligon and Belinda Watson were guests at the official opening of the Ballacottier play bins. Both Directors are parents of children at the school, and Mr Colligon is also a trustee of The Children’s Centre and a former governor of the school. He commented:
“The ethos behind Auxesia is to encourage organisations to work with available resources in a creative and constructive way. There’s a very clear analogy with this ethos and the concept behind the play bins initiative, so this was an ideal project for us to support. The importance of children learning through play is widely recognised and we’re delighted to help Ballacottier School with this donation.”
Chris Gregory, Play Development Officer at The Children’s Centre, opened the doors to the bins for the first time and within minutes both were empty as children used the materials inside to build dens, make sleds and buggies, and find all manner of other imaginative uses for the items they found.
Auxesia Ltd – named after the Greek goddess of growth and prosperity – is a business optimisation service based in Athol Street, Douglas. The play bins scheme is just the latest example of several community initiatives which the company supports. Auxesia Ltd also sponsors Albany Tennis club and is one of 10 Manx businesses supporting the Team Isle of Man Champions initiative raising funds to help the Island send the strongest possible squad to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games which begin on July 23. For more information about Auxesia Ltd go to www.auxesialtd.com
Photo - Celebrating the opening of the new play bins at Ballacottier School are (back row left to right) Ballacottier School teachers Stephanie O’Hanlon and Alice-Anne de Bruin, and Auxesia Directors Stuart Colligon and Belinda Watson. With some of the play bin materials are (left to right) pupils Cody, Jenna, Amelia, Madeline and Tyler.
