October 2024
Aston Rowant Parish Council has successfully completed the refurbishment of the Kingston Blount village playground, which was opened to the public on Friday 20th July 2024 following two weeks of refurbishment works.
The parish council has been supported by the Kingston Blount Park Fundraising Committee (KBPFCo) which was formed in November 2022. The committee, made up of a group of parents from within the community, were tasked with managing the refurbishment project from concept through to completion – conducting community engagement activities to shape playground design concepts, supplier selection and procurement and devising and implementing a fundraising strategy to generate the much needed funding.
Following a robust supplier selection process Discovery Timber Play was selected to conduct works. This included the replacement of damaged play equipment and the installation of brand-new equipment to improve play value and inclusivity.
A target of £59,000 (including VAT) was required for the planned works, in addition to the replacement of the playground fencing and other restoration works on existing equipment in good condition that were to be kept as part of the playground infrastructure.
As well as Aston Rowant Parish Council committing £9,535 to the project the KBPFCo also raise an incredible £1,354.16 from individual donations and £6,604.13 from community events, as well as securing a number of grants to enable the project to be financially viable.
Grants received
Aston Rowant Parish Council would like to acknowledge the generosity of the following organisations:
- £20,413 South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC)
- £6,000 Perisimmon Homes
- £4,100 Cozon’s Bequest
- £4,000 Hillwerke Recreation Trust
- £2,500 Janet and Bryan Moore Charitable Trust
- £2,000 Bouttell Bequest
- £1,000 Doris Field Charitable Trust
- £480 Chinnor Open Gardens
The playground has seen an increase in visitors since the installation of the new equipment and the initial feedback has been incredibly positive. The parish council are delighted that the playground is now able to continue to service and delight local families and visiting children for years to come.
As the KBPFCo surpassed the initial fundraising target, two wooden spring rockers will be added to the playground in October 2024 to further enhance play value and expand the variety of play equipment on offer.
There are also plans to install a zip wire and more picnic bench seating as part of a second phase of this project, with the aim of increasing the playgrounds appeal to an older demographic of children and to provide an outdoor seating area available for use by the wider community. Further updates on this phase of the project will be provided in due course.
Finally, the parish council would like to thank the KBPFCo for all their efforts managing and delivering this refurbishment project, and also to those in the community who have personally donated or supported the project.
The images below illustrate the new equipment.
Aston Rowant Parish Council
Key contacts
Adam Bernstein, chairman
Tracy Lambourne, clerk
