A Brief History of Take Ten and Furzeham

Take Ten for Play started off when playworkers and trainers in the South West pioneered a playwork training course which was needed by playworkers and acceptable to employers, particularly local authorities. An essential element of the course was the introduction of the Take Ten for Play portfolio which was provided for each learner and contained relevant information and references. It was developed by playworkers in the region, edited by Tanny Stobart and designed and published by Ralph Stobart, at Furzeham.

When Take Ten for Play was revised to become a qualification on the National Qualifications Framework the Awarding Body (CACHE) recommended that the portfolio be produced separately and sold to learners as support materials for the course. Furzeham Publishing took on doing this in conjunction with the South West Centre for Playwork Education and Training (now Playwork Partnerships). A similar process was followed for the level 3 qualification Take Ten MORE. Furzeham Publishing has continued to develop and update Take Ten over the years always with the maxim of being close to the practical and educational experience of the learner and being informed by playworkers, trainers and providers across the UK.

Tanny Stobart is a playwork training and policy consultant currently working with Play Wales and SkillsActive. Prior to this she was National Programme Manager – Policy UK with the Playwork Unit at SkillsActive. She is a contributor to PETC UK, the Playwork National Occupational Standards Committee, the Play England Strategic Advisory Board, and Playwork Partnerships and is voluntarily involved with delivering play programmes and chairing the Torbay Play Forum.

Tanny trained in graphic design, photography and teaching and worked as a volunteer playworker on a London adventure playground.

Ralph Stobart, who designs, produces and distributes Take Ten has qualifications in fine arts and teaching and has worked as a playworker on action research projects.

They are helped by Sally Jago and Becky Morey

Furzeham have been involved in developing and producing other materials and projects , including: ‘Track Pack’,’ Introducing Playwork’, ‘Quanta’, Play Rangers Guide, ‘Time to Play’, ‘Flying High’, ‘Flying Higher’ and a range of materials for Sector Skills Councils and European Projects.