AMAZING LONDON  – a project to make London more playful, was a finalist in an NHS London Social Innovation competition to encourage physical activity for all ages.  In part it is a play on words: A-maze-in-London, and Rethinking Cities has been spearheading the search for partners to develop the concept.

Matt Wilson from Barking and Dagenham Borough Council who leads on Ranger Services, sees AMAZING LONDON as a great way to enhance many of his parks and green spaces, and has offered several sites for the creation of mazes and labyrinths.

Working with Tim Waterman, a lecturer in landscape architecture and urban design at Writtle College, Rethinking Cities Ltd are devising a competition for students in gardening, horticulture and landscape design, for which the winners will see their mazes or labyrinths come to fruition in Barking & Dagenham in 2012!

Jeff Saward, the internationally reknowned labyrinth designer has lent his support too, as a judge for the competition.

We would like to broaden the competition still wider to involve more colleges across London – do you have links to colleges in horticulture, gardening or landscape that you can propose? Click on the Contact button at the top right of this page!

AMAZING LONDON is also supported by Bromley Borough Council’s Thyme Out team who will be devising and maintaining a maze in Bromley in 2011. We are currently looking for partners in all sectors to support our aspiration to make London more playful for all!

This article previously appeared on the Rethinking Cities website