Mum wants wee Quinns to join the fun

A mum is campaigning to have accessible play equipment installed at a Bridge of Allan park to help her son who suffers from cerebral palsy play with his pals.

At the moment three-year-old Quinns Rutherford can only use the baby swing in Fountain Road Park play area which has to be fitted with a special seat.

But his mum Jennifer pointed out this week that it won’t be long before Quinns, who attends Bridge of Allan Primary School nursery, outgrows the seat.

She said: “Quinns spends the majority of time watching all the other children having fun on the equipment.

“It’s getting more and more difficult for me to lift him into the baby swing.

“I need a second person to help me. It won’t be long before he’s too big for it all.

“He can also use the basket swing, but only if he can sit with his older sister Anita. For both of these I have to lift him which I’m not going to be able to do in the long term.”

Jennifer, a graphic designer, said more accessible play equipment would make a “huge difference” to Quinns and other children with different levels of abilities.

She added: “He’d be able to play with his friends and have more independence – and be able to experience the same sensations as other children.

“He’s a very bright and sociable little boy who would just love to be able to play with other children.”

A grant of £41,120 came from funding body WREN earlier this year for accessible play equipment at Stirling’s King’s Park. It is expected to be ready for use in October this year.

Jennifer said: “We’re really looking forward to trying the Kings Park equipment out. We have visited the inclusive play park in Dunfermline which has an accessible roundabout and a variety of accessible equipment. But ideally I’d like to be able to take my children to the local park on the way home from school.

“Life is difficult enough without having to travel a distance to the play park.”

A Stirling Council spokesperson said this week: “We were delighted to support Friends of Kings Park in their successful partnership application to funding body, WREN, to buy a range of inclusive play equipment for the park. This also included a financial contribution from the Council.

“Officers have been liaising with Bridge of Allan Community Council with a view to securing funding for a similar initiative at Fountain Road Park, Bridge of Allan, and we look forward to continuing those discussions with the local community.”

Jennifer has also set up a Facebook page as part of her bid for accessible play equipment – www.facebook. com/allanplaytogether

She also writes a blog which can be found at : qtandcp.wordpress.com