More ball games: Campaign to ‘eliminate’ signs warning against play kicks off on Lambeth estate

A council has backed an initiative to replace ‘no ball games’ signs on a housing estate with basketball hoops to tackle a “crisis” of inactivity among young people.

The new signs, now fully functional basketball hoops, were fitted above “no ball games” signs on the Mursell Estate in Lansdowne Way, Stockwell yesterday.

Designed by the charity London Sport, working with advertising company Saatchi & Saatchi, the initiative has been supported by Lambeth council.

With the help of the London Lions basketball team, including captain Ovie Soko, 34, the charity helped youngsters on the Mursell estate transform the sign themselves.

Claire Holland, Lambeth council leader, said: “Our child-friendly policy asks for children to be made welcome on the estates where they live. 

“No ball games signs do not help children feel part of their community.”

According to London Sport, each ‘no ball games’ sign deters an estimated 80 young people from engaging in sport. With about 7,000 signs across London’s housing estates, this means more than half a million children and young people are being discouraged from being active.

Emily Robinson, chief executive at London Sport, said: “These ‘no ball Ggames’ signs send the wrong message, especially to children and young people. 

“As a society we need to be finding suitable, safe places which proactively encourage children to play, exercise and take a break from screens and devices.” 

The campaign aims to see the signs “eliminated” from council estates across the capital, and eventually the country, the charity said.

Ms Robinson said: “This will have a ripple knock-on effect on tackling obesity, improving life expectancy, children’s academic performance, mental health and ease pressure on the NHS.”  

Lambeth council has now started to remove ‘no ball games’ signs across their estates where “safe and appropriate to do so”, and a sign on a Lewisham estate will shortly undergo the same makeover.

This comes as data from Sport England show more than half of the country’s children – 52.7 per cent – are failing to meet the Chief Medical Officers’ recommended 60 minutes of daily exercise.

In London, 32 per cent of children and young people averaging less than 30 active minutes each day, with children in the city’s most deprived areas three times more likely to be inactive than those in the wealthiest parts.   

Cllr Holland said: “This campaign is really vital for us in terms of building a child-friendly borough so that we can ensure that every child has the opportunity to play sport, get fit, play with their friends and lead happy and fruitful lives.”

Pictured top: A young resident of Stockwell’s Mursell Estate takes a shot at the reimagined sign (Picture: PinPep)