Annual report from Southend Community
Playpark Committee AGM May 2010
The Southend Community Playpark Committee is comprised of parents and community members and was formed in March 2009 with the intention of providing a playpark for Southend. It is a sub committee of the Southend Community Council.
At present there are no play facilities or access to an open play area within the vicinity of Southend following the removal of the previous playpark in 2006 due to health and safety reasons. The nearest playpark is a 20 mile round trip and not a practical option for the 80 or so school age children of Southend.
The new playpark will be situated within the community sports field in the centre of the village, which is owned by the community council. The area where the play park is to be situated is an area, which has not been utilised before.
The southend playpark committee held an open community meeting in April 2009 which all three local councilors attended and expressed support, together with local residents who recognised the need for such a facility. A survey was circulated to over 200 homes to establish whether there was a demand for a playpark by the local community. The results of the survey have shown that support for the playpark is strong demonstrating the demand for such an amenity in Southend.
Members of the play park committee visited the local primary school to involve the children in the decisions regarding play equipment. The children drew pictures of what they would like to see in their playpark, which the committee then incorporated into the playpark design.
The committee also met with two independent playpark manufacturers to draw up designs for the new playpark and obtain quotations for the groundwork and play park equipment.
Following discussions with potential funders the committee agreed on a budget of £50,000 (ex VAT) for the playpark project and a “Statement of Intent” was submitted to the Scottish Rural Development Fund (SRDP) in September 2009. This was given an “amber rating” which meant that a full funding proposal could then be submitted and this was done at the next round of applications in January 2010. The total amount applied for was £49,311 out of a total project cost of £60,890. This leaves £11,579 for the committee to find if SRDP funding application successful. £1473 has been raised from fundraising events and the Southend Community Council have pledged £5000 leaving £5106. The outcome of SRDP application will be known towards the end of May 2010.
A number of fundraising events have been held including 2 quiz nights and a race night and the committee have had a lot of encouragement from local businesses who have supported their fundraising events and also independently held fundraising events on their behalf.
A grant application to Awards for All is currently being prepared and the outcome of funding applications to the Campbeltown Rotary Club and ACHA are awaited.
Planning permission for the new play park was granted in February 2010.The playpark committee would welcome new members to help them continue with their work and are grateful for all the support they have had over the last year from the local community.
Moira Finlayson, Secretary, 12th May 2010
