Best for Kids 2022: Willowbees Adventure Play

The centre has scooped the St Helens Star Best for Kids 2022 award.

Each week, we focus on different categories to find the best that St Helens has to offer with awards for hair, nails, beauty, fitness and independent shop being given out as well as fish and chips, pies, pubs, beer garden, breakfast, afternoon tea, roast dinners and pizza already decided.

Voting has been taking place over weekend in the next round of the competition with the award for Best Burger up for grabs, and the closing date is midnight on Monday, August 8.

Next up we were searching for the town’s best place to take youngsters during the school holidays and Willowbees Adventure Play took top spot.

The colourful design makes it popular with children

It’s located inside Newton-le-willows Health and Fitness on Ashton Road, Newton-le-willows, and is hugely popular with children of all ages – and their parents!

One review on their Facebook page said: “Fab swimming, fab play area and fab staff – highly recommended!”

The centre on Ashton Road was refurbished before the Covid-19 pandemic and was completed during lockdowns meaning the doors could open to customers allowing access to state-of-the-art equipment and activities.

Willowbees Adventure Play was named by Roberto Salamanca, a pupil at Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School pupil, when Go Active held a competition for local schoolchildren to come up with a suitable name for the new play centre.

He was one of the first to try out the new facility with his classmates and was given a private hire party to celebrate his next birthday.

Willowbees is aimed at children aged between nought and 11 and the bright and vibrant design makes it appealing to youngsters.

The centre coffee shop is perfectly located for parents and childminders to keep an eye on the children

Jane Ascroft, centre manager at Newton-le-willows Health and Fitness, said: “Willowbees Adventure Play keeps children active, which is fantastic from a public health perspective – they use so much energy when they’re here as they don’t stop!”

She added: “Winning this award is a boost for everyone – it’s a real team effort at Willowbees and Newton-le-willows Health and Fitness and we’re very grateful to our loyal customers who voted for us to win.

“Before we opened, we worked with local schools so that children could try the equipment and activities and let us know what worked well and what needed changing.

“We’re always checking with parents and childminders and their feedback is invaluable to the success of Willowbees.”

Willowbees Adventure Play is open Monday to Friday between 9am and 6.45pm, and between 9am and 4.45pm on Saturdays and Sundays with two-hour time slots available.

Private hire bookings and parties are also available.

For more details go to facebook.com/GoActiveSTH