2023 Annual Report

2023 sport and recreation awards
Following on from the success on the day, the Stanhope Road Play Festival
was entered as an example of excellence in the New Zealand Sport and
Recreation Awards 2023, Community Impact – Local/community category.
A category that recognises a “project which positively impacts children,
young people, and their whānau at local/community level”.
An inspired partnership between Sport Auckland and Stanhope Road
Primary School led to Tāmaki Makaurau's first ‘Neighbourhood Play System’,
where the goal was to create inclusive, accessible play opportunities for the
Stanhope Road Primary community, which represents 60 ethnicities, and 13
percent of tamariki identify as Māori.
Sport Auckland laid the foundation for the successful model by listening to
the diverse voices of local tamariki, to fully understand barriers and shape
the outcome. Taking the time to undertake whakawhanaungatanga with
tamariki created a shared sense of purpose, as well as trust.
Sport New Zealand’s annual Sport and Recreation Awards night was held
on 24 July 2023 at the Cordis Hotel in Auckland. In tandem with Stanhope
Road School, Sport Auckland was delighted to be named the winner of
the New Zealand Sport and Recreation Award, Community Impact – Local/
community for 2023.
play festival
“Play is one of the four ways Sport New Zealand supports New Zealanders getting active, alongside
physical education, active recreation and sport. A child’s earliest physical experiences are through play
and it’s also where they develop and practice life skills. Play allows children to experience fun, joy and
laughter in a way that is important to them.” - Sport New Zealand
There are many play initiatives that have happened across New Zealand to promote play and during Play Week Aotearoa 7-13
November 2022, Sport Auckland together with Stanhope Road School held their inaugural Play Festival.
On the day of the event, there was mixed emotions as heavy rain in the morning meant the event was due to move inside.
However, the anticipation continued to build and the rain eased by lunchtime. The people in charge took a chance that the weather
would be good to everyone, and there was a unanimous cheer from Stanhope when the school announced over the intercom that
the event would go ahead outside as originally planned.
Every corner of the school ground was set up with equipment to enable play; from skateboards and kites to outdoor game stations,
loose parts play and a magic fairy garden. There were food vendors onsite and school fair type stalls.
The children did indeed come and play. A steady flow of families came through the school gates, after school hours, to participate
in the Play Festival. New Zealand Police also arrived and joined in to play games with the kids. The success of the event could be
seen and heard through the kids, it was fun with no rules on how to engage in play. One school cluster lead echoed the success
of the event “you realise this will have to be an annual event now”.
“It’s fun and I enjoy it, and because I get to spend time with my friends” – Student
“Play is an everywhere activity, and is not resource heavy” – Sport Auckland employee
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Annual report
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