Play area’s revamp (From Cotswold Journal)

Play area’s revamp

1:00pm Thursday 14th February 2013 in News

A PLAY area in Shipston which has fallen into disrepair will soon be refurbished.

Volunteers are wanted for the first phase of the project to plant a new fruit orchard in the Queen’s Avenue Park play area, off Campden Road.

The play area, which currently contains only two A-frames and a football goal post, has been derelict for more than a decade and has become a concern to residents.

But thanks to more than a year of fundraising, £36,000 of the £90,000 target has already been raised to put the play area back on the map.

Polly Taylor, who lives on Queen’s Avenue and started the action group, said: “It’s a wonderful feeling and very heartwarming.

It would be nice by the end of this year to be in the final phase but it’s all grant dependent.”

Transition Shipston has raised £1,000 for pear and apple trees, which were planted alongside blackberry and raspberry bushes during a digging and planting weekend last weekend. Some large play equipment has also been ordered.

So far, money has been raised from donations and grants including £10,000 from Shipston Town Council, £1,000 from Warwickshire County Council’s Community Development Fund, a £25,000 grant from the SITA Trust and £500 from an Olympic torch event last summer.

The group is still waiting to hear if it has been successful with its application for a £20,000 grant from Orbit Housing. For details, call Polly Taylor on 07789 641252.