PMD Brings Waterjet In House

We at PMD are market leaders in playground markings in the UK, and as such continuously strive to increase the quality of playground markings. As of December 2013 we will be able to offer a one stop shop for more intricate playground markings and road markings, from design to creation with our new in house waterjet cutting system.

The waterjet system will be capable of cutting up to 6inches of steel in ONE cut! which means multiple cutouts of our thermoplastic playground marking material at the same time won’t be a problem allowing PMD to create intricate designs at very competitive prices.

With this system bespoke designs won’t be a problem either, the only governing factor being the colour range limits. From logos to your own playground marking designs, these can all be achieved with accuracy.

For further information Contact Us.

Playground Markings Direct Feedback Forms

 Here at playground Markings Direct we are always looking for ways to improve our service. We have recently added a digital feedback form to our website. We want to hear about your experiences with PMD. Please go to:

http://www.playgroundmarkingsdirect.co.uk/about-us/feedback-form/  

You can also download a copy of the form at:

http://www.playgroundmarkingsdirect.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/feedbackform.pdf 

We will also be sending the forms out to all our customers. All returned forms are entered into a monthly prize draw.

Funding Application Guidelines

We have put some information together to try and help people when they are considering how to fund possible school playground projects. We hope it may be of some help.

• Always thoroughly read the guidelines and instructions thoroughly
• Make sure to answer all questions concisely in clear handwriting
• Be sure to demonstrate a clear plan of why your school need the funding and who will benefit and a breakdown where possible – be as detailed as you can
• Try and tailor your funding as best you can to the criteria needed
• Remember to include all required documentation to support your application
• if you’re unsure on what’s being asked on any of the questions, don’t hesitate to ring the funder or us here at PMD
• Include positive objectives of how the funding with make a difference to your school – Not just the physical benefits but will it improve social skills? Or promote more positive behaviours?
• GOOD LUCK!

***please note : PMD have provided this Funding Assistance Pack to the best of their knowledge and can’t guarantee funding is still available or that you will get it – it is purely provided as source of information***   AWARDS FOR ALL

ELIGIBLE TO: Schools, Councils, Healthcare establishments & Community Groups
FUNDING AMOUNT AVAILABLE: £300 – £10,000
FUNDING CRITERIA: to fund projects which address the issues, needs and aspirations of local communities and people. We will fund a wide range of community projects aimed at developing skills, improving health, revitalising the local environment and enabling people to become more active citizens.
TIPS: Demonstrate clearly how the grant would improve your school/community bearing in mind the above criteria.  Maybe you want to provide playground equipment that would encourage children/young people to be much more active, therefore improving health.
Contact : www.awardsforall.org.uk   FOOTBALL FOUNDATION
ELIGIBLE TO: Schools, Councils, Football Clubs, Multi-Sports Clubs & Registered Charities FUNDING AMOUNT AVAILABLE: upto £500,000
FUNDING CRITERIA: to fund projects that improve facilities for Sport & Football in local communities. The aim is to increase participation from children and adults which can range anything from MUGA’s & pitches to Changing rooms or Clubhouses.
TIPS: Applications can be submitted at any time.  You would need to give detailed reasons what positive effect the funding would bring to your School.
Contact: www.footballfoundation.org.uk   READ MORE...for the full article please click here...   PLEASE NOTE: To download a digital version of this information please click here.

Millfield School Wetpoor

Millfield School receive a wetpour surface for their new gym area above the swimming pool arena - Millfield School has been evolving since 1935 when it was founded by RJO Meyer, affectionately referred to as 'Boss'. Meyer's philosophy was:

"...to nurture talent by providing the very best facilities, teaching, coaching and opportunities in which young people can exercise and explore their abilities; and to give awards to those in financial need."

This philosophy has developed into an outstanding school with the very best facilities which include 130 staff sports coaches incorporating basketball, golf,hockey (indoor and outdoor), girls' athletics, fencing, modern pentathlon, triathlon, rugby union sevens, squash, cricket, orienteering, archery, horse riding and tennis. To back this up Millfield School have installed top quality Sportesse gym equipment which have been enhanced further by the installation of a wetpour rubber surface to absorb shock from the weights as they dropped to the ground. PMD were draughted in to install this surface which was no mean feat!

For health and safety reasons the wetpour mixing had to be done outside which meant the mixed materials had to be carried upstairs. The wetpour installers also had to endure extreme warmth due to the heat coming from the swimming pool water combined with the glass roof above allowing the sunlight to penetrate. Despite this, the installers completed the multi coloured flooring in 7 days in good spirit and to much joy of Millfield School.

Rocklands School Trim Trail is ready for action!

Rocklands School is a Special State School in Lichfield and a proud recipient of a new PMD Trim Trail. Developing play is an important part of learning and Rocklands School apppreciate this fact, pushing there outdoor activities with the addition of this new playground equipment. Trim Trail is a must for schools these days as it has many plus points not just in the physical sense but also encouraging children to interact.

Trim Trails come in many shapes and sizes to suit different age groups and abilities. The PMD Monkey Trail installed at Rocklands will give the children a good mix of activities incorporating balance, and strength skills.

If the children should fall off the equipment the rubber grassmats installed are there to protect. Rubber Grassmats allow the grass to grow through whilst providing a protective rubber surface. The bonus with grassmats is that once the grass has grown through the surface returns to its natural look, some would say more pleasing than looking at bright coloured surfaces like wet pour but this is in the eye of the beholder of course!

So well done Rocklands we hope the children have many many years of fun on their new trim trail!

Private Playgrounds

After weeks of designing and construction PMD are coming to the end of this beautiful playground for a large private house.

The brief -  to create something fun that the children will grow into, allowing for younger siblings to follow in the footsteps of there piers.

The design was put in place incorporating a play tunnel leading to an open area with mushroom seats which will give the younger children a sense of adventure without being too far out of view of parents. Playground Springers made from HDPE were added to this part of the site including a seesaw style rocker for two children to play together.

Our client wanted a bespoke climbing frame with plenty of slides so we designed a climbing frame with 5 slides! Yes 5! This multiple age group climbing frame has been designed to have multiple level slides and platforms to keep the younger children entertained for hours. For the older children we added monkey bars and a climbing wall to improve arm and leg strength, a double width stainless steel embankment slide and a full25m zip-wire.

This playground will be the envy of many children and we are sure the children will be able to enjoy this area for many years to come being ideal for summer parties.

Happy Playing to all the children!

Playground Markings Problem Solved

Shanklea Primary School, Cramlington wanted our Alphabet Spiral and Rocket Hopscotch but because the area was flags and not tarmac we came up with a solution so the children could have some playground markings. After discussing matters with the teacher we came up with a solution to the kids could have some markings.

The Sherwood Hexagon Climbing Frame

Playground Markings Direct are pleased to announce our all new climbing frame. The Sherwood Hexagon Climbing Frame is a natural looking climbing frame and ideal for larger groups of younger children or perfect for a private garden. It is designed and constructed with 5 different slides, 2 climbing nets, a fireman’s pole and a linking crawl tunnel between the 2 towers; plenty of varied activities to keep the children entertained.

Playground Markings Direct have various types of climbing frames. We incorporate platforms, nets, slides and links of varying difficulty and physical requirements.

Please call our friendly Sales Team on 01477 533555 to talk through any climbing frame needs or email us here.

The Importance of Creative Play

At Playground Markings Direct we recognize that creative play takes a playground to the next dimension. It is important that children are able to express themselves with play and use their imagination to its full potential. Allowing a child to create something for themselves will boost their confidence while allowing them to explore and develop their senses; using different media and equipment. We supply many different types of playground equipment to encourage and nurture creative play such as activity panels, magnetic games, musical Instruments, playhouses, sand and water play, trains, boats, ships and shops.

For more information please call us on 01477 533 555 or email us here.

Pathway or Driveway, Sir?

Need a pathway or driveway that looks fantastic then resin bound stone might be the answer. Resin bound stone is a hard wearing surface which involves stone being coated in a resin which when hardens makes a solid parking or walking surface. Resin bound stone shouldn’t be confused with resin bonded stone which is a cheaper less effective process involving resin being pasted to The ground and the stone scattered on top. Resin bonded stone simply doesn’t last as long.

Pathways to guide people in a certain direction are what resin bound stone are all about in public areas. Hospitals, car parks, health centres, museums, and town centres are just some of the many places that can be easily improved with resin bound stone.

For more information call one of the team on 01477 533555.

Pirate Ships..Matey

Pirate ships have been of interest to children for generations sparking imagination and adventure. Pirates of the Caribbean fueling this even further in recent years. PMD have created a flotilla of pirate ships designed to suit school budgets giving kids the experience to spark there imaginations further. Our pirate ships aren’t just ships, they can be transformed( by the children’s minds) into anything they like, for example the rear compartment is enclosed with an entrance and porthole windows, this can be quickly transformed into a house within a single thought.

Big and sturdy these ships should sail the seas (technically playgrounds!) for years. Many schools have noticed the playtime behaviour changes because the children feel engaged by the environment. To find out more about PMD pirate ships browse our pirate ships or call the office on 01477 533555.

Acorns Helmdon Pre School

Playground Markings Direct are pleased to help Acorns Helmdon Pre School in their fund raising for playground equipment. Acorns is a registered charity managed by a group of dedicated trustees. With continued fund raising throughout the year they have been able to provide toys and play equipment for the village children and children that come from the surrounding area.

This year they have decided to increase their efforts even further by taking on Mount Snowdon in Wales. Six brave team members comprised of three staff members and three committee members will strive to climb the summit of 3560 ft. on June 6th 2013 and raise £1500 for new equipment.

Along with providing new equipment for the children some of the money raised will go towards a memorial bench and placed in their conservation area in the name of Judy Butler. Acorns sadly lost Judy after a brave battle with cancer last year. The children will enjoy summer days around the bench listening to stories while experiencing nature.

We gladly donate to their cause and wish them every success with their Snowdon challenge. For further information on their school go to http://www.helmdonacorns.org.uk/

MUGAS for You

Playground Markings Direct, manufacture and supply high quality sports courts or MUGAs (multi use games areas) and goal units for school playgrounds and public play areas. We also supply sports walls and baskets. Our MUGAS come in various colours and all are installed by our experienced staff.
MUGA courts are for use by both children and adults in games such as basketball, tennis and football. You will be able to design your own MUGA court with our designers to suit your requirements and the area you have available.




For more information please contact us here

Grosvenor Centre Wet Poor Graphics

Grosvenor Centre in Wallasey wanted some personalised wet-pour safety surface for their play area. We kindly obliged with black coloured wetpour with multi-coloured shapes.














For more information on wet pour please call us on 01477 533 555.

Activity Play Panels

Keep the children’s mind active and occupied during break times with a Playground Markings Direct Activity Panel. Our activity panels come in different sizes and you can choose from multipurpose white boards and black boards, bubble boards or play panels that have a particular purpose as a teaching aid. The Play Panels can be removable so they don’t necessarily have to be a permanent playground feature and can be an excellent use of space. Play panels are also ideal if they are combined with other playground equipment or an outdoor classroom.


















For more information on activity panels please contact us here

Sacred Heart Primary School

Playground Markings Direct was approached by one of our existing customers. We have undertaken many installations for our customer such as the mulch surface at Holy Family Primary School, Barrow-in-furness. This mulch was to allow the children to play without the fear of getting injured and once completed we were informed that the head teacher was so impressed that he had in fact told his friend, who told his friend who happened to be the Head teacher at Scared Heart Primary School.
The conversation soon turned to an area of the playground which had undertaken a vast amount of refurbishment only 9 months previous. It was agreed that we could overcome the head teachers worries about the grass mat area and assured them our intentions were to enhance not his but also the children’s well being.
It was on Wednesday the 20th of February that Mark Roberts and Justin Bentley (The PMD dream makers) arrived on site and within two and a half hours they had totally transformed the lives of the head teacher and the lives of all the children that attend Sacred Heart Primary School.
Yet again the dream makers drove off like the superheroes they are onto the next school to make more dreams come true.








For more information about safety surface or general enquiries please contact us here.

Agility Frame With Posts And Rope

The Head from Kilpatrick School, Glasgow called us for a solution because the kids could not use their agility frame to their liking. We installed posts and ropes and now the children can use their playground equipment to its full potential.
















Another happy playground.

Parking Bay Line Painting

PMD has just launched its new Thermoplastic website, supplying Thermoplastic road markings and playground markings to the trade and to the general public. If you need your parking bays re-painted or you have a new development that is in need of line painting then give us a call. We offer a friendly, competitive service with free quotes and site visits if necessary.
















For more information go to www.thermmarkroadmarkings.co.uk or give us a call on 01477 533 555.

Grass Matting To Eliminate Boggy Areas

Grass matting to eliminate boggy areas in your back garden, and to help many of you navigate safely through your back garden, over your stream and into the gym at the bottom of your garden. This 50m long path was installed in Warwickshire to help a customer with such a problem.

Long Lasting Shelters

Here’s another one of our shelters, installed in August 2011 at Captain Shaw’s School in Millom, Cumbria. All of our shelters come with a 10 year long guarantee and are made from high quality, pressure treated Swedish redwood. We always try to use the thickest posts possible to provide a sturdy support for all our shelters. We offer different types of weatherproofing to protect your shelter and build all of our shelters bespoke so whether you want us to add a chalkboard, benches, tables, storage boxes…and much more, we can facilitate, and can even provide a wood staining service.

Bespoke Logo Sign

Does your school signage look a little tired? Supply us your school logo and we will create an interior or exterior playground sign for you. These types of signs come with a Swedish Redwood frame and are suitable for all types of playground environment. Signs can be used as information boards to guide children to different parts of the school or just notice signs to clarify the use of an area.


For more information call us on 01477 533 555 or click here.

MULTISPORTS PACK – PANELLED GOAL END

We have just added our latest product to the website. Comprising of post mounted cricket board/post mounted goal practice/ Half court markings/ cricket wall station markings/ netball-football Goal end – panels 2.4m long each/goal unit 2.6 – overall length approx 7.4m includes all marking. This is a fantastic piece of playground equipment that includes playgrounds too!

HDPE Goal Area with Holes

Standing Long Jump

Get the children involved with this fun playground marking. Our Standing Long Jump playground marking is specifically designed to develop and encourage children’s strength, fitness and coordination.

For more information regarding playground markings, please contact us here.

EXPRESS PLAY TRAIN AND PLAY CARRIAGE

We have finished this fantastic play train and play carriages at Forestdale Primary School, Croydon. Our trains are made from top quality play grade timber with HDPE panels, tunnel and moving steering wheel. This is a fantastic piece of play equipment for the children to act out their imaginations.

Don’t forget to order play carriages for your passengers, and for more fun why not order some games tops for the carriage tables.
For more information please contact us here.

Telford Town Park

Playground Markings Direct have finished another wetpour installation. We have laid down 410m2 of wetpour at Telford Town Park, this is in addition to the over 10,000m2 that we have already installed all around the UK over the last few months. With its excellent safety features and fall protection, we can see why!.

For more information on weptpour please contact us here.

Mushrooms or Toadstools

Mushrooms and Toadstools are popping up all over the UK, maybe it's something to do with the recent wet weather?? These mushrooms are definitely not edible but make great seats and look pretty, unlike the usual types of mushrooms and toadstools these will only grow in areas that you want them to and will continue to look good for years to come. They do as with your usual mushrooms and toadstools come in a multitude of colour ways. Powder coated metal stems with EPDM Rubber tops they are ideal for brightening up nurseries or Reception class play areas and playgrounds. Why not make a story telling area using the single mushroom seats by combining with our story tellers chair or create dining or play areas by using our mushroom seats with table.

See! As they say, not all mushrooms and toadstools are bad! these colourful mushrooms may not be edible but sure make good seats!

View the images here: http://bit.ly/XjKa0E