CHILDREN and their families are invited to come along and enjoy a free afternoon of fun and activities in Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, East Grinstead and Hurstpierpoint at the start of August.

Mid Sussex District Council has organised a variety of rides, games and creative activities for local families to enjoy on 1, 2, 7 and 8 August to celebrate national Play Day 2018.

The theme this year is ‘beside the seaside’ and all the activities are inspired by the traditional British beach holiday.

There will be donkey rides, Punch and Judy shows, a bouncy castle and a helter skelter.

Children will be able to get their faces painted and race their friends using solar powered boats.

An arts tent will enable children to be creative and trained Circus performers will be on hand to show them how to juggle, hula-hoop, tightrope walk, and balance on stilts.

One of the biggest issues facing our coastline and the ocean right now is plastic pollution spoiling our beaches, polluting our drinking water and killing wildlife. We’ll have a Plastic Beach game for children to play to help them learn more about how we can reduce plastic on our beaches.

Councillor Gary Marsh, Cabinet Member for Service Delivery said: “Our Play Days are always tremendous fun for all the family and we have another great line-up of activities this year.

“Parents know that it’s not easy to keep the little ones entertained during the school holidays so it’s great that we are able provide free family activities at convenient locations across the District.”

The free Play Day events will be held at:

• Victoria Park in Haywards Heath from 11am until 3pm on Weds 1 August

• St John’s Park in Burgess Hill from 11am until 3pm on Thurs 2 August

• King George’s Field in East Grinstead from 11am until 3pm on Tues 7 August

• Court Bushes Recreation Ground in Hurstpierpoint from 11am until 3pm Weds 8 August

Funding has been provided by the Clarion Housing Group to enable us to host a Play Day event in Hurstpierpoint for the very first time. The money is part of the Clarion Futures project.