Village Play Area Gets Into the Swing of Things Thanks to Cash Boost
A new play area at the centre of Britain has been officially opened.
The playground at Dunsop Bridge has undergone a major refurbishment, with new equipment and surfacing installed, thanks in part to a £100,000 grant from Ribble Valley Borough Council.
The Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire, Mrs Amanda Parker, was joined by local schoolchildren and members of the local trust which has driven the development of the play area, to officially mark its opening.
Dunsop Bridge Jubilee Play Area Trust was established in 2001 in response to the clear need in the remote village, which is said to be at the geographic centre of mainland Britain, for a dedicated safe space where children could play and families could come together.
The play area was opened in 2003 and served the community well for more than two decades, but it became apparent that the original play equipment had come to the end of its operational life.
The trust set out to raise more than £200,000 to refurbish the play area and with the help of their fundraising efforts enough money was raised and the first phase of the play area’s development went ahead. A second phase of work to develop the play area further is in the pipeline.
Councillor Simon Hore, chair of the council’s policy and finance committee, said:
“It’s wonderful to see this play area transformed into an exciting community asset that I’m sure will be popular with kids and their parents alike. I know it will be very well used and it is all down to the hard word of local people and their determination to create this for their village.”
Julie Bennett, the trust’s chair, said:
“This project has been a true community effort. From our funders and sponsors to the contractors, volunteers and local residents, every contribution has played a part in bringing this vision to life.”
After the play area was officially opened children from Dunsop Bridge and Slaidburn primary schools were the first to test out the new equipment and give it their “thumbs up”. The celebrations continued with a picnic in the park with refreshments provided by the village’s Puddleducks Tearooms.