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A few minutes walk from my house there is a community space. A couple of fields, filled with fruit trees, benches and football nets. There is a running track, and a lit path to guide children home from school in the winter months. There is basketball court, and, once upon a time, there was a park.
I don’t know what happened to the park, but I know it needs updating. There are railings with paint peeling off, bordering an expanse of uneven concrete. Weeds grow between the softer pads that once housed park equipment. If you squint, you can make out the foundations of a long departed climbing frame. When we moved here, all that stood at the park was a swing set.
The park is not filled with the sounds of children laughing, nor is it filled with the echoes of footsteps as children run between equipment. Perhaps it was, once, long ago. Ebony has spent a good few hours on that lone, creaking swing. But now, even that has gone, replaced by yet more emptiness.
It is, without doubt, the most depressing park I have ever seen. Hardly deserving of the title playground.
But, there is hope for the children who live in these parts. The community group who planted the fruit trees, and campaigned for the lights to guide children home on dark nights, are now fundraising for a new playground. A real park, with swings and slides and laughter.
The community group have organised events, applied for grants and engaged with councillors and local people to try and get this project off the ground. Local children, the ones who sometimes swing on that one lonely swing, have raised £12,000 through cake sales and other events.
And now, they have the chance of securing another funding bid for the pot. In fact, if they get enough votes, they could be awarded up to £25,000 towards the cost of a brand new playground.
It would be great if you could spare a couple of clicks to vote for them to win.
Please follow this link to vote for Cherry Tree Park project to win the money:
Thank you so much!
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