What many people refer to as Wilcot’s Green is really the village’s recreation ground. It has been owned by the village since 1924 and now boasts new state of the art play equipment.
The previous play equipment was installed in 1950 and, somewhat unsurprisingly, has become dangerous to play on.
On Thursday evening, just before the monthly meeting of the village’s Recreation Ground Committee, and before the spring sunshine turned to dusk, the new play equipment was officially opened at a short ceremony led by Richard Fleet – chairman of the Recreation Ground Committee.
There were children on hand to show how good the new equipment was. And there was someone to test out the baby swing – something the previous paly area simply did not have.
Much of the fund raising and organisation has been done by village residents Jane and Jamie Watherston. The equipment – including some very expensive rubber matting to soften falls and help avoid any mud – cost £23,000.
After some sterling local fundraising, the Big Lottery came good with a grant of £10,000, the Pewsey Area Board voted a grant of £5,000 and the Hills Group, through the Landfill Community Fund and Community First, gave £4,600.
Smaller donations came from, among others, Pewsey Carnival and Lady Rothschild – and the village baked cakes and held sales and sponsored this and that to make up the grand total.
The equipment is used by local children and by children at the Oare preschool which has an outdoor facility in the village. Councillor Paul Oatway (Pewsey Vale) spoke at the opening and said the Area Board had voted funds for the play area because it would be used by all comers and provided vital encouragement for children to take part in outdoor physical activities.
The short ceremony ended when one of the youngsters making the most of a very adventurous climbing frame, called for three cheers – for everybody concerned with the project.
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