Call to SAVE Oasisplay

According to a post on Instagram, a community meeting is being held tonight at Stockwell Adventure Playground to discuss the future of Oasisplay.

On the Oasisplay website, it explains how, due to the closure of funding bodies and diminishing donations, Oasisplay is facing “a huge deficit” this financial year – going so far as to say that, without substantial fundraising, they will be forced to “close with immediate effect”.

In addition to attending the meeting tonight, Oasisplay have suggested other ways you can support their cause:

1. Spread the word – share this post or write your own on your social media or websites
2. Display a poster in your window – printed copes are available at any Oasisplay site

Oasisplay have also launched a JustGiving fundraising page where people can donate to their cause.

“We feel confident that with the support of the community Oasisplay will survive the current situation. Please help by spreading the word and link to our fundraising page”

Further information from the JustGiving fundraising page:

Oasisplay describes its four sites as “a Nature Garden, a youth led Go Kart Track and two amazing Adventure Playgrounds, catering for children from birth to 18 years of age, or 25 years for disabled people” and how the organisation has been a part of the local community for 50 years.

According to the JustGiving page, each year they provide over 2000 hours of free and inclusive environmental play sessions, playwork provision on their adventure playgrounds, karting and mechanics sessions, holiday playschemes, day trips, community events, educational sessions and youth leadership opportunities.

In addition to these core provisions, Oasisplay also host a weekly food hub at each of their sites, distribute free tickets to local attractions and events to support local families, offer volunteering opportunities, and host activity sessions for schools.

Like most open-access playwork provision, their services are open to all those who wish to use them. However, many referrals come from local authority and other multi-agency groups such as social services, youth offending teams, schools and other community organisations. This may be part of the reason why their services are in higher demand than ever.

Whilst many similar organisations and provisions have been lost in recent years, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and cost-of-living crisis continue to significantly affect the both the financial and health status of their community. .

Unfortunately Oasisplay has not been immune to the tough economic climate and we too have had to scale back significantly in the last 2 months, despite intense need. We are determined that this is a temporary measure and with your support we will not only be able to save Oasis from complete closure, but also bring back all of the services that we have recently cut.

How might your donation help?

Their JustGiving page describes how:

• £10 will pay for 1 child to attend an After School Club at the playground
• £50 will pay for 3 children to attend a Saturday Club at the playground
• £100 will pay for petrol and spare parts for 2 weeks of Karting sessions at the Kart Track
• £150 will pay for an under-5’s Forest School Foragers session at the Nature Garden
• £250 will pay for a kart maintenance and mechanics session for young people at the Kart Track

With their goal set at £150,000, what exactly will that funding be put towards?

• £60,000 will fill their shortfall for the current financial year, keeping their gates open until April 2025.
• £100,000 will keep sites open until August 2025 for the paying groups and projects for which additional funding can be secured.
• £150,000 would allow Oasisplay to reinstate some of their free services until August 2025 and provide time to find further funding.

We are making a robust financial plan for the future, including significant cost cutting measures. We continue to explore all possible funding options and are in talks with Lambeth Council about how they may be able to help us to keep this vital service open.

For further information or to get involved, contact save@oasisplay.org.uk.