‘MINI STONEHENGE’ BRINGS NATURAL PLAY UP-TO-DATE AT IOG SALTEX

In addition to launching a number of new and exciting play products, the display being mounted by Russell Leisure at this year’s IOG SALTEX open space management exhibition (Windsor, 2-4 September) will grab visitors’ attention for another major reason – the staging of a ‘mini Stonehenge’ display of stone circles will be an outstanding focal point at the show.

Featuring several pieces of specially carved Cornish glacial granite some being more than three metres high – similar material to that used in the ancient megalith in Wiltshire – the stones will be adapted towards natural play through intelligent landscaping and incorporating motion and carved designs within the pieces.

The innovative exhibit at IOG SALTEX is the brainchild of Dominic Ropner of Time Circles, a company that is partnering Russell Leisure to help expand the latter’s natural play portfolio.

According to Russell Leisure’s Alasdair Wellwood, the co-operation with Time Circles is “the perfect fit for a company with an ever-expanding range of natural play products that are landscape- and architecturally-friendly”.

He says: “Our IOG SALTEX display should prove an amazing attraction among the play exhibits – not only because of the mini Stonehenge and our other natural play products on show, but also because we are introducing the new and innovative Cosmo Rope range, new roundabouts and see-saws .”

These, he says, will complement the examples on show from the company’s existing range of playground equipment, ballcourts and skate ramps, for example, designed for children between three and 14 years.

“We’re convinced that our partnership agreement with Dominic Roper’s Time Circles gives us an unrivalled competitive edge in the natural play market, an area that is proving increasingly popular for us in a year which sees the Government’s £225 million Children’s Plan play investment programme underway.”

Time Circles’ natural play exhibits will also be available at IOG SALTEX’s Landscape Village – this year a much-expanded area dedicated to the needs of the landscaping professional and which will include home improvement and garden centre giant, B&Q, that will be showcasing its landscaping and ever-increasing trade offer.

• IOG SALTEX 2008 will be held on 2-4 September at Windsor Racecourse, Berks, and will embrace fine turf and sports surfaces, turf maintenance equipment, children’s outdoor play and safety surfacing, landscaping, contractors, commercial vehicles, outdoor leisure and facilities management, as well as software and security equipment. The show is attended by open space management professionals and contractors – from groundsmen and greenkeepers through to play officers, architects, designers and surveyors as well as local authority and outdoor leisure facility managers.