CHILDREN with additional needs are able to enjoy a playground with their friends thanks to a big investment.

The ‘all to play’ project at the Angus Buchanan recreation ground in Coleford has bought innovative equipment thanks to donations totalling £24,000.

Gloucestershire County Council’s Growing Our Communities gave £8,000, the Barnwood Trust donated £5,000, Gloucestershire Disabilities Fund gave £2,000, there was £800 from the Gloucestershire Playing Fields Association and £8,275 came from the the National Lottery Communities Fund.

A consultation in 2018 by volunteer committee members Sarah Cheese and Maureen Bessant Brown revealed that some children attending the nearby Children’s Opportunity Centre could not use the playground.

Their wheelchairs and adapted pushchairs could not travel across the bumpy grass and most of the play equipment was not suitable for them.

“We felt determined to change this situation,” said Sarah.

Expert advice was sought from the Heart of the Forest special school at Speech House and the Forest Pulse charity which is based there and the Gloucestershire Playing Fields Association.

The work was carried out by Greenfields Garden Services of Churcham who also made an accessible play boat.

The boat’s mast was made from local wood coppiced by volunteers at the New Leaf forestry project and carved by Sarah Cheese.

To the delight of the children a fantastical ‘Mousicorn’ has taken up residence as the play boat’s figurehead.

The Mousicorn was carved by Tom Cousins and Sarah Cheese from a piece of sweet chestnut tree which was donated by local sculptor Philip Bews.

Tom, who his best known for his large-scale murals around the Forest, swapped his paintbrush for a chainsaw, mallet and chisels to create this piece which he nicknamed the Mousicorn.

Project co-ordinator Sarah Cheese said “Inspiration for the carved boat figurehead came from Kay Lillington from Gloucestershire Playing Fields Association who said that unique things are what makes places special and memorable to the children and families using the site.”

Sarah said: “Good news from funding applications was received at the beginning of 2020 but just as we were starting the project the Covid 19 pandemic unfolded.

“This has slowed down work on the project which was scheduled to be completed by September 2020.

“I am really pleased and relieved though that we have managed to complete the project on budget.

“I believe the aim of making public areas more inclusive is one worth working for – people with disabilities frequently face barriers to accessing activities that everyone else takes for granted.”

Other improvements include a 150-metre pathway linking play equipment, full support swing seat, tango swing seat, swan springie, a musical cabasa and a spinning dish.

Gloucestershire county county councillor for Coleford, Carole Allaway Martin said “I’m delighted to support the ‘all to play’ project with £8,000 from the growing our communities fund.

“The all to play project volunteers have done a great job. ”

Opportunity centre manager Sonia Molyneux said: “We are delighted that the improvements have been made to the playground at the Angus Buchanan Recreation Ground Playground.

“We are lucky to have facilities that have been adapted to suit our children within a few minutes’ walk.

“We look forward to Covid restrictions being lifted so that the staff and children can enjoy the social, emotional and physical benefits that these improvements will bring.”