Venture Community Association

Bringing freedom and adventure to children and families

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is classed as the richest borough in London. It also has some of the highest levels of deprivation in the whole of the country.

Venture Community Association has been supporting the local community in North Kensington since 1959. The charity combines the country’s oldest adventure playground with a community centre to improve the lives of children and families, older people, newly arrived communities, and unemployed people.

Our grant of £14,500 has helped the charity support more young people by extending their adventure playground opening hours during school holidays and adding an additional week of activities during the summer.

The Golborne area in North Kensington has limited green spaces and places to play.
68% of Golborne residents live in social housing and 40% of children live in poverty.
Our grant to Venture Community Association’s adventure playground means more children and families will benefit from a safe space to be, with food and exercise.

A safe space for children to play

A safe and challenging environment, the playground has natural wooden structures including climbing towers, slides, rope bridges, tree houses and interactive swings. There’s also a multipurpose sports pitch, arts and crafts, cooking and a range of sports activities. Participants receive a free healthy hot lunch.

Many of the children and families who attend the adventure playground live in cramped accommodation. Having the playground to go to, and other activities at the centre, means children can develop socially and educationally. But most importantly it gives them the chance to simply concentrate on being children.

Reaching more children and families that need support

During the school holidays the playground often reaches maximum capacity of 115 children within the first two hours of opening. Venture Community Association was looking for extra support to extend the opening hours so more children and their parents could benefit.

Our grant meant the charity could open the playground for an extra hour – until 6pm. We also supported opening for an additional week in summer 2020, so 70 young people could have six weeks of activities in school holidays.

“Our services are designed to make a positive contribution to community life and enhance the ability of local children and young people in North Kensington to take steps to become involved in the social and economic life of the community.”

Pattrina Quashie Ferguson, Head of Operations, Venture Community Association