A lifetime in play

PlayNation speaks to Katherine Perkins , Managing Director of Wicksteed, on the company’s past, present and future – and how the sector she has served for nearly 40 years is changing

For nearly four decades, Katherine Perkins has watched the UK play sector evolve from a niche industry into one increasingly recognised for its importance to childhood development, wellbeing and community life. Now Managing Director of Wicksteed Playgrounds, Perkins has spent almost her entire working life with one of the most historic names in British play provision. Her career has mirrored the changing fortunes of the sector itself – from a time when playgrounds were often viewed simply as optional amenities to an era where play is increasingly understood as essential social infrastructure.

On a journey

Speaking about her journey into the industry, Perkins admits she never expected a temporary-looking role at 19 to become a lifelong career. “I’ve worked in the play sector for 39 years, which still surprises me when I say it out loud,” she says. “I joined Wicksteed as an order processing clerk and, honestly, I never imagined then that I’d still be here decades later as Managing Director.”

From customer services through to senior leadership, Perkins has risen through the ranks while remaining deeply connected to the company’s wider mission. “What kept me in the industry was the fact that play really matters,” she explains. “Throughout all of that I’ve stayed passionate about what we do because we’re creating spaces that children genuinely benefit from.

“It becomes more than a job – you become emotionally invested in the importance of play and the difference it makes to children, families and communities.”

For Perkins, that connection is also intensely personal. The Wicksteed story has intertwined with her own family history across generations. “On a personal level, I have a great deal to thank Charles Wicksteed for,” she says. “My parents met while working at Wicksteed Park – my father on the water chute and my mother in the changing rooms. Years later, I met my husband while both working at Wicksteed.

“That journey has given me not only a lifelong career, but also two wonderful children and four grandchildren. Wicksteed is more than a business to me; it’s been a defining part of my family’s story.”

Communities through play

That sense of legacy perhaps explains why Perkins speaks so passionately about the wider play sector and the challenges it currently faces. Having entered the industry during the 1980s, she has witnessed dramatic changes in both public attitudes and children’s lifestyles.

“When I first started, play was often seen as something ‘nice to have’,” she says. “Today there’s much more understanding of the role it plays in children’s physical health, emotional wellbeing, confidence and social development.”

However, despite growing awareness, Perkins believes inequalities in access to play remain one of the biggest issues confronting the sector. “One thing that concerns me is that children’s right to play increasingly feels like a privilege rather than something every child should simply expect to have access to,” she says.

“Access to quality play spaces can depend too much on where you live or the funding available locally, and that’s something the industry continues to fight hard for.”

While technology and social habits may have changed dramatically during her career, Perkins insists children themselves still fundamentally seek the same things from play. “They still want to climb, explore, socialise, challenge themselves and use their imagination,” she says. “But the world around them has changed dramatically.

“They’re growing up with screens, structured schedules and less freedom than previous generations, which makes outdoor play more important than ever.”

That reduced freedom, she argues, has made playgrounds and community play spaces increasingly valuable as places where children can safely explore independence and social interaction.

“The more we can get families out in communities, the safer those communities become,” she adds.

Inclusive and sustainable

Perkins believes the sector has responded positively to changing expectations, particularly around inclusivity and wellbeing. “Inclusivity is probably one of the biggest and most positive developments we’re seeing,” she says. “There’s far more focus now on creating spaces where children of all abilities can play together rather than separately, which is incredibly important.”

She also highlights the growing recognition of play’s role beyond simple recreation.

“Playgrounds are increasingly recognised as spaces that support both physical and mental health – not just for children but for families and communities as a whole,” she explains.

Alongside inclusion and wellbeing, sustainability has become another major consideration for manufacturers and operators alike.

“Sustainability is becoming a key consideration, both in the materials we use and in designing products that stand the test of time,” she says.

Perkins believes the Covid-19 pandemic marked a particularly important moment for the sector’s profile nationally. “I do think there’s more acknowledgment now than there used to be, particularly since the pandemic, when people really saw the value of outdoor spaces and the impact they have on wellbeing,” she says.

For too long, play has sometimes been overlooked despite the enormous benefits it brings to children and communities

“There’s definitely greater awareness at government level around the importance of play, but we still have a long way to go.”

The challenge, she argues, lies in translating that awareness into long-term policy and consistent investment.

“The industry has worked incredibly hard to raise the profile of play,” says Perkins. “The more we can collectively demonstrate the social, educational and health benefits of play, the stronger the case becomes.”

She views recent initiatives – including the establishment of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Play, the forthcoming National Play Conference and campaigns to make play statutory within England’s Key Stage 1 curriculum – as vital steps forward. “They’re hugely important because they help move the conversation forward and keep play visible at a national level,” she says.

“For too long, play has sometimes been overlooked despite the enormous benefits it brings to children and communities.”

In particular, Perkins believes embedding play within education policy would represent a landmark cultural shift. “Making play part of the Key Stage 1 curriculum would be a significant step because it formally recognises something many of us in the industry have always known: children learn through play.”

Heritage and innovation

Any conversation about Wicksteed inevitably turns towards the company’s extraordinary heritage within the British play sector. Founded by Charles Wicksteed in Kettering in 1876, the company originally manufactured and repaired agricultural machinery before diversifying into engineering products and eventually playground equipment.

The company’s journey into play provision began shortly after the First World War.

“At the end of the First World War in 1918, Charles Wicksteed created swings for children as a celebration of peace and optimism for the future,” Perkins explains.

“That simple idea sparked something much bigger and ultimately led to the design and manufacture of playground equipment and the installation of what became one of the UK’s first children’s playgrounds at Wicksteed Park in 1921.”

Perkins describes Charles Wicksteed as “a true visionary” whose belief in accessible recreation continues to shape the business more than a century later. “He believed outdoor recreation and play should be accessible to everyone, and those values still sit at the heart of the business today,” she says.

Although Wicksteed’s history is one of its greatest assets, Perkins is keen to stress that the company is equally focused on innovation and modernisation.

“I think one of Wicksteed’s biggest strengths is that we combine genuine heritage and experience with a very modern approach to play,” she says. “Our heritage gives us credibility, experience and a deep understanding of what makes great play value, but we’re constantly evolving in terms of design, inclusivity, sustainability and innovation.”

The company’s continued UK manufacturing presence also remains central to its identity. “We’re proud to be a British manufacturer, with our products manufactured here in the UK, and we’re also members of the Made in Britain organisation,” Perkins says. “That reflects our commitment to quality, craftsmanship and supporting British manufacturing.” In a challenging economic climate, Perkins believes durability and long-term value have become increasingly important factors for customers.

“Customers want equipment that is built to last and delivers long-term value, particularly in today’s challenging funding environment,” she explains. Equally important, she says, is the culture within the company itself.

“There’s a real passion within the business,” she says. “Many people here have spent years in the industry — our longest serving employee has been with us for 49 years — and they genuinely care about creating spaces that make a difference.”

The Wicksteed name also remains intrinsically linked to Wicksteed Park, one of the UK’s best-known historic leisure parks. “Wicksteed Park is an incredibly important part of our history and identity because it reflects Charles Wicksteed’s original vision about recreation, wellbeing and access to play for everyone,” Perkins says.

Today, the park operates separately under the Wicksteed Charitable Trust, although Perkins says the emotional and historical connection remains strong. “For many people, Wicksteed Park is where their memories of play and childhood were created, so it continues to hold a very special place within the wider Wicksteed story,” she says.

Looking ahead

Looking ahead, Perkins says the company’s future strategy centres on balancing innovation with the core principles that have defined Wicksteed for generations. “Our focus is very much on continuing to innovate while staying true to the values Wicksteed has always stood for — quality, durability, safety and creating meaningful play experiences that stand the test of time,” she says. “That absolutely doesn’t mean standing still or relying on heritage alone.”

We’re focused on helping customers create spaces that deliver genuine long-term social value, whether that’s supporting physical activity, wellbeing, inclusion or community connection

Future investment will focus heavily on inclusive design, sustainability and creating more imaginative and engaging play experiences. “We’re continuing to invest heavily in new product development, particularly around inclusive play, sustainability and more engaging, imaginative play experiences,” Perkins explains.

The company is also increasingly focused on helping customers demonstrate measurable social value through playground investment. “We’re focused on helping customers create spaces that deliver genuine long-term social value, whether that’s supporting physical activity, wellbeing, inclusion or community connection,” she says.

Ultimately, Perkins believes the sector’s future depends on maintaining momentum around advocacy and ensuring play remains visible within public policy discussions. Despite ongoing funding pressures, she remains optimistic.

“There’s far greater understanding now of the importance of play than there was when I started,” she says. “That’s encouraging. “But we can’t become complacent. We still need stronger long-term investment, stronger policy support and a recognition that play isn’t an optional extra — it’s essential.”

For Perkins, the future of the sector lies in continuing to champion play not simply as recreation, but as a vital contributor to healthier, happier and more connected communities.

And after nearly 40 years in the industry, that mission clearly remains as personal as ever.