Village gets new play area at last

Apr 1 2008 by Liz Hands, The Journal

WORK has been completed on a community-led project that will provide play facilities for a Northumberland village.

The £137,000 project has seen the construction of a much-needed play area at Newbrough First School, near Hexham, and is all thanks to the work of the community volunteers who helped build the facility.

Headteacher at the school John Moore said: “People have been saying for at least 25 years that the play area was needed, and the seed of this idea was sewn in the 2006 Newbrough and Fourstones parish plan. We have totally transformed the school grounds.”

As well as parents and other members of the community who got their hands dirty working on the project, Mr Moore also thanked local firms which had provided materials.

Work started on the project in August last year.

While it will be available to all, it is also particularly significant as it provides a facility for teenagers, who previously had a shortage of recreational spaces.

The Journal first featured the project in October 2006 when the team behind the project secured £50,000 funding from television show The People’s Millions.

Viewers of the show voted that the project should be given the Big Lottery grant.

The new play area will be officially opened by Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson at a ceremony later this month.