Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Play area wins national award
A new village play area is not only thrilling youngsters but has now earned a national award.
The £150,000 park at Wingham recreation ground, which includes play equipment and a multi-use games court, has just been voted best play initiative by the Fields in Trust charity.
It was up against Croydon’s Grange Park in the final at an awards night at Lord’s Cricket Ground last week, but impressed the judges more.
The trophy and certificate were presented to parish council chairman Bryan Curtis and clerk Kerry Coltham by television sports broadcaster Jacqui Oatley.
Mrs Coltham said: “We are delighted to have received this prestigious award in recognition of our brilliant new multi-use games area and play area.
“It’s fantastic that the hard work of our community and parish council has been recognised in this way and the award will take pride of place in the village hall Miles Room.
“In the meantime, to ensure that everyone can see it, it is currently on display in the window of The Politician’s Daughter cafe in the High Street.”
Fields in Trust is a charity which operates throughout the UK to safeguard recreational spaces and campaign for better statutory protection for all kinds of outdoor sites.
The Wingham project was first thought up in 2012 because the existing site was outdated, lacked imagination and consequently underused.
It was funded using money set aside from local council tax precepts by the parish council, which commissioned Playdale Playgrounds to create the area.