European Year of
Volunteering 2011
   
 

 

  
 

GAIN is a Registered
Charity SC029574

  
     
 

"Two of the greatest gifts we can give our children are roots and wings"

  
 

Hodding Carter

  
 

See Also
GAIN-NESS
Eoropie Park is a multi award winning playpark that has been carefully designed to fully complement the site's 4 acres of natural coastal environment.  
PAHA - Physical Activity
& Health Alliance
Nancy Ovens
 Outstanding Contribution
to Play Award 2007

 
The Eoropie Dunes Playpark was Runner-up in the 2007 National Lottery Awards - Best Environment Project, narrowly missing out to the National Botanic Gardens of Wales.
Nancy Ovens Outstanding Contribution to Play Award 2007

Queens Jubilee Award
 

Right To Play Award
 

Runner-up, National Lottery Good Causes Awards
 
The hard work and dedication of the GAIN & Playpark committee, as well as the many volunteers and, importantly, the children has been recognised over the years by several nationally recognised organisations  that support and promote volunteering and the development of quality play facilities for children
 
In April 2003, Eoropie Dunes Park received the Right to Play Award from Alan Rees, Secretary of the Scottish branch of the International Play Association
Lord Lieutenant of the Isles, Sandy Matheson, presents The Queen's Jubilee Award for Voluntary Services to GAIN in August 2004 for its work in the community.
 

 
GAIN was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to Play Award by the Nancy Ovens Trust in 2007, which represented its top award for play in Scotland that year.

Collecting the award on behalf of the Eoropie Dunes Playpark was GAIN (Guth Airson Iarrtasan Nis) representative Dr Gail Cunningham (RIGHT), who is pictured here at the Evolution Skate Park in Stevenston – the 2006 winner and itself a magnificent example of what dedicated individuals can achieve when they set their minds to a project.  The Minister for Children and Early Years, Adam Ingram MSP, presented GAIN with the accolade.

The Nancy Ovens Trust was established in 2003 in memory of Nancy Ovens MBE who, for over 40 years, had campaigned tirelessly to improve play and youth work opportunities for children and young people across Scotland, the UK and Internationally.

The Trustees recognised that there exists very little public awareness of those providing the most exciting and stimulating play provision and experiences for children. Thus the Nancy Ovens Awards was launched in 2004, which recognises and encourages contributions made by individuals, community groups, local authorities and others in the provision of good quality play experiences in outdoor settings.

   
     
 

Gail Cunningham collecting the Nancy Ovens Award

  
     
  We are also enormously indebted to the various funding bodies that have supported our park since it was first set up in 1998.  
Each year, the Nancy Ovens Trust also presents the ‘Award for Best Design of a Play Experience’, ‘Best Community Award for Play’ and the ‘Best Promotion of Outdoor Play Facilities’.

 
 

Awards & Achievements
IPA – Right to Play Award – 2003  |  Queen’s Jubilee Award for Groups in the Community - 2004  |  Nancy Ovens Award for Outstanding Contribution to Play - 2007  |  National Lottery Award – Runners Up, Environment Category (4000+ votes by users of the park) 2007  |  Presentation and workshop at Children in Scotland annual conference: Growing Up in Rural Scotland 2008  |  PAHA Award – Active Environment - 2010