The play area in Brockweir and Hewelsfield was once a hub of our community, where children, young people, their parents, grandparents and caregivers could come together to play and have a coffee at the village shop. Since the removal of the previous equipment in 2020, there has been no play space in the villages for families to meet.

Following consultation with the community on the need for a new play area and what it should include, we selected a supplier (Earth Wrights) who developed a design proposal. The proposed new play area provides exciting play opportunities for children of all ages, including:

• an adventure cluster of slides with traversing ropes, scramble channels, tangled logs and a den

• a toddler play area with play mound, stepping logs, musical posts and sensory planting

• an accessible basket swing

• a zip wire.

We have recently been awarded a major grant of £50,000, which moves us a very big step closer to a new play area being installed. Together with funds generously donated by members of the community, the Village Shop and the Parish Council, we now have more than £60,000 in total. However, we are still more than £20,000 short of the total needed to install all the equipment. The costs are not just for the equipment, but also for things like technical drawings, plant hire, construction and haulage.

In order to retain the major grant we have been awarded, we must start the project this summer. This means we need to raise the remaining funds by the end of April.

If you would like to see a play area central to the villages of Brockweir and Hewelsfield once more and feel you could support our cause, we would welcome any donation – big or small. It will all help move us closer still to creating a space for families to get together in the villages again.

The project includes a renovation of the shelter hut already in place on the playing field. For any donations of more than £200, we are able to offer the option of an engraved plaque, personal to you, in recognition of your contribution. The engraving could be a dedication to someone special to you or in memory of a loved one. Please contact us on bandh.playarea@gmail.com to arrange the wording.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to everyone who has supported our efforts to date to renew the village play area. We have been overwhelmed by support – both monetary donations and donations of time to assist with fundraising events, as well as letters of support to submit with our fundraising applications. The renewal of the play area would not be possible without this fantastic community support.

Thank you.