Promised St Martin Playground Opens

Thursday, 23 November 2023 at 08:50

A new playground at St Martin's village green has been officially opened by some of the children who helped to design it.

The area has been possible following the contribution of two donors who put up the £100,000 needed for the work.

Schoolchildren and parents helped to design it, making it accessible for all and with a fully supported seat swing.

Children in Year 2 (now Year 3) at the parish primary school did a DT (Design & Technology) project in class, then took their ideas to the Public Hall.

Constable Karen Shenton Stone says that 'real democracy in action':

"I went around to each child and looked at all their drawings, and at the end of it we found out what was really crucial to them were money-bars. which we hadn't included in the previous plan.

I hope that the St. Martin’s students I spoke to about the playground feel empowered to continue sharing their thoughts and ideas with their elected representatives throughout their lives, and that it encourages others to do the same.”

There is also a natural play space with log slides and tree trunks for children to climb across.

Constable Shenton Stone says she's delighted to finally have delivered something she promised when she was elected.

"I used to write in the parish magazine, 'I am to this, and we are going to deliver it'. There has been some hold-ups. It has taken a long time, and sometimes I thought it was never going to come to fruition, but it has ended up with this amazing community project."