NEW INCLUSIVE WHEELCHAIR SEESAW TO BE UNVEILED IN VICTORIA PARK – THANKS TO A NATIONAL LOTTERY GRANT!

Newbury Town Council has installed a new inclusive seesaw in Victoria Park with the help of a £10,000 grant from the National Lottery Community Fund.

Children from the Keevil Unit at Speenhamland School will be the first to give it a try on 24 November at 11am when the Mayor of Newbury, Cllr Gary Norman will be cutting the ribbon to officially open the new facility.

A key goal presented in Newbury Town Council’s Strategy is to provide ‘focused support for youth… and the vulnerable’. The Council decided that they would like to provide more inclusive playground equipment in the existing playground in Victoria Park, so that all children can enjoy the park and playground, no matter their physical ability.

Although this new equipment can be used by all, this project will make a substantial difference for children with limited mobility and wheelchair users and is an additional improvement to the playground which also has an accessible roundabout.

Cllr Martin Colston, Leader of the Council said, “We know that the existing inclusive roundabout in the Park is well used by the young people of Newbury as it requires frequent servicing and greasing of the rollers! The wheelchair swing which was previously in the Park was also highly valued and we have received a number of enquiries about when it will be replaced so we believe this addition will certainly be highly appreciated and welcome.

He continued, “The very generous funding received from the National Lottery Community Fund, made the provision of this new equipment possible. We would like to send our most sincere thanks to them for supporting us to ensure that all children can play, have fun, and build relationships with other children regardless of their physical abilities”.

Contacts:

Cllr Martin Colston, Leader of the Council martin.colston@newbury.gov.uk 01635 36591

Hugh Peacocke, CEO Newbury Town Council hugh.peacocke@newbury.gov.uk 01635 35486