Congratulations to local group PLAYING OUT, which has secured major government funding for its work in encouraging “resident-led street play activity” (that’s helping parents make roads safe for kids to play on).

The announcement of the cash injection came just as several streets around the City Centre were closed to traffic for the first ‘Make Sunday Special’ events. The latest bright idea of Mayor George Ferguson – who’s still having trouble getting his ‘boulevards of solar-powered giant inflatable vegetables’ scheme off the ground – five monthly traffic-free Sundays are planned until October, costing Bristol a total of nearly £200,000.

Whilst a boon to the street performers and circus groups paid to entertain, you can’t help but wonder if the money could be spent better elsewhere…
Certainly KWADS, the Knowle West–based support service for friends and family of those affected by alcohol and drugs, which has just had £180,000 funding snatched away by the council-supported quango Safer Bristol, could do with a bit of that JUGGLING-AND-MIME CASH.

So maybe KWADS could ask Fergo for some assistance – or perhaps not. Knowle West isn’t really fashionable enough for Fergo, and anyway kids there already play out in the streets safely…

Without help from Playing Out (director: ALICE FERGUSON – DAUGHTER of the MAYOR).