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The Firm is owned by John Hicks a graduate craft trained engineer with many years of work experience in industry and commerce, schools, colleges and in the voluntary sector. He is wholly independent and is listed by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister as an expert in relation to play safety and disabled access
This picture represents our extra curricular activities. We discourage trolly lollying before sundown - and not always then.
As a matter of policy we make advice available free of charge
JOHN HICKS & ASSOCIATES - TEN ADVISORY NOTES .
No 1/10 Playground inspections
No 2/10 Technical terms used in inspection reports
No 3/10 British Standard changes approved or proposed
No 4/10 Safety surfaces
No 5/10 Swing chains and related fasteners
No 6/10 Accident reports
No 7/10 Goal posts and related items
No 8/10 Wheeled sports
No 9/10 Trees as potential playground hazards
No 10/10 Play providers’ liability in an increasingly ‘litigious society’
Notes content is regularly updated and from time to time additional notes will be added. An 11th on carousels is in preparation and 4/10 needs urgent revision in the light of BS changes in view relating to grass as a safety surface..
I'll e mail any one of these to you on request but if you want the whole set then I have to charge £2.50 + 50p for post and packing
We are a Birmingham-based company specialising in safety inspections and reports for play equipment in playgrounds and other environments. We also provide risk assessments, playground design consultancy, play area staff training, accident reports, expert witness services and disabled access audit services. John Hicks is a Member of the Register of Playground Inspectors International (RPII).
The business was established in 1994. Since then, we have carried out thousands of annual site inspections, post-installation inspections, pre-installation planning inspections, disability access audits, risk assessments and accident investigations in playgrounds and soft play areas
While specialising in parish and district council play facilities, we have also carried out work in pubs, pick-your-own fruit farms, caravan and camping sites, village halls, schools, church halls and commercial crèches.
The associates include a RoSPA trained RPII Annual playground inspector, a former OFSTED registered schools inspector, a professional archaeologist, and a nursery and infant teacher as well as a specialist in early years education and children's play and development...
In rewriting sections of ACCESSIBLE & INCLUSIVE PLAYSPACE and adding new material I have been struck once again by the degree to which people, especially parents, suffering from social disadvantage in relation to access to sporting, social and cultural services remain patient and tolerant and, as I suggested in my talk to IOG SALTEX at Windsor in 2005 there might be three reasons for this.
a. An absence of legitimate expectations and aspiration in relevant parts of the community ensures that there is no client/consumer frustration within the system
b. These Limited aspirations are a function of limited role models, low levels of recognised peer participation and few reported achievements in relevant areas.
c. Limited participation which derives in equal part from five related factors
1. an absence of appropriate and affordable facilities generally
2. limited professional skills or interest in encouraging participation
3. consequent absence of opportunities to participate and achieve
4. absence of transport to facilitate access whatever is available.
5. low incomes in disability groups limits demand for paid services
Or perhaps it is the case that there is simply no organised representational and advocacy presence such as the trades unions to carry forward and inform the debate while encouraging complaints and advising complainants.
Fallout from our achievements in Beijing might fix this.
Children of course have no unions but since they constitute 20% of our population perhaps they should have Meanwhile we are their main advocacy group!
John Hicks & Associates.
A wholly owned subsidiary of JOHN HICKS LTD.Registered in England & Wales. Company Registration No. 416095841a Upland Road, Selly Park, Birmingham. B29 7JS. UK.
Tel: 0121 472 1276.. Mobile: 07762 232646 email: johhicks@lineone.net
VAT Reg. Number: 650 3437 57
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