Comments 2

I've just extracted some more comments from our questionnaires for your delectation:

"We would go much more frequently and meet friends."

"I think the equipment is dated. My child cut himself on the rusty horse."

"We would use it more rather than driving to Hathersage."

"As a local childminder, I need places for children to play and be safe."

"Would attract people to Bamford. Good for local business."

"An improved play area would be used more often. Great for social interaction."

"I would like to take my grandchildren but at the moment I would be very worried about the safety of the equipment."

"Would improve quality of life by travelling less."

"Better equipment for toddlers."

"The children would enjoy playing on new equipment as there is a limited choice at present."

"Needs better climbing equipment and something for older children."

"We need a better environment to take friends."


Well, I hope you enjoyed those. I certainly enjoyed picking the different colours out! They're not made up, by the way. The people have spoken and we will try to deliver!

Things are moving fast....can we keep up?!

We attended the monthly committee meeting of the Bamford Rec committee last night as we had much to report. Obviously they were thrilled to hear the news that we have passed Stage 1. Probably a little less pleased when I explained about some of the hoops we have to jump through to get ready for Stage 2. But, to their credit, they were unfailingly supportive and helpful.

It's a great weight off our minds to know that we can proceed with Stage 2 as a sub-committee of the Bamford Rec Committee itself. This sounds like a technicality but it has saved us literally dozens of hours of work in setting up a totally new group and obtaining charitable status, bank accounts etc and then trying to sort of the legal position regarding ownership and use of the play area.

Really, you wouldn't think that a few swings climbing frames would be girded by such mighty concepts as constitutions and committees and legal titles....sigh.....

Anyway, before I descend into grumpiness I thought you might like to see some of the comments we received on the questionnaires which were returned to us in the summer. They serve to remind us why we're doing this and how important it is for the whole village.

"I feel local children are missing out on a valuable resource."

"Safety standards are very poor on equipment and the ground surface is inadequate."

"I do not feel it is safe or secure. Gates need fixing to stop dogs entering." [Stop Press: the gates have now been fixed by our Great Leader's husband....thanks Nigel...]

"A few people have time and energy trying to raise awareness and much needed funds for this project and I feel they deserve some help if they are to suceed."

"Bamford really needs a better play area for children. it will increase community spirit and childrens' freedom."

"New equipment has long been needed. The climbing frame is rusty and has holes where children could cut their fingers."

"Our kids would love to go there more. It is a great place to meet up with other families. needs urgent attention!"


So - I think you get the picture. We're trying and help is slowly creeping out of the woodwork too. Watch this space.

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Meet your Committee

No names or anything as this is the big bad t'internet but I thought you might like to see what we look like. I'm the one at the back. Here we are on a Friday evening in the local pub, slaving away with proposals and correspondence. Don't it make your heart go all warm and fuzzy?!

So, our next step is to meet with the Bamford Rec Committee on Monday evening to report how we've got on so far and let them know what will be needed over the next few months. We will need their help as the play area is sited on the Rec.

After that, we have to obtain 3 formal quotes for the work, planning permission (grrr, we had hoped this wouldn't be necessary), fulfil various other technical requirements for the Stage 2 Application and, all the time, hope that we receive the funding in the end. Yikes.

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Questionnaires

Or, to put it another way - how do we know what everyone wants? How do we know that something needs to be done at all?!



Well, as to the latter, I think the pictures I put up in my first couple of posts will satisfy you that something needs to be done. But what?



To this end, as we don't want to be accused of being blinkered or exclusive, the Committee circulated a hundred or so Questionnaires and a Petition widely round the village and surrounding area to try to garner support for redevelopment of the play area as well as ideas as to what it should look like.



We asked the following questions:

1. How often do you use the play area?


2. Would you use it more often if it was improved?


3. How safe do you feel the current playground is and do you have any suggestions to improve safety?


4. What new play equipment would you like to see on the play area?


5. Do you use other play areas and, if so, how do you get there?


6. Would a new improved play area on the Bamford Recreation Ground benefit you, your family and friends or business and, if so, how?


7. Any other comments?

We recieved 50 replies to the Questionnaire, which is not bad going considering the size of the village and the fact that not everyone has any connection to children. (I know exactly 50 replies seems a little dodgy but that's the number, I just recounted them!) The comments were wide ranging and mostly helpful (if occasionally a little unrealistic - we're not made of money!!) and I'll try and summarise the main themes over this and some later posts.

To the question regarding what sort of equipment people would like to see, the results were as follows:

• Roundabout - 19
• Climbing frame - 26
• Toddler equipment/small slide/swings/disabled - 11
• Adventure Trail/Obstacle course - 7
• Sit on spring seats/rockers - 6
• Zip wire - 8
• Moving horse - 3
• Better slide - 5
• Tunnels - 3
• Sand pit - 4
• New see-saw - 2
• New ground bark - 2

I've listed above all the items which received more than one vote. There were loads of other suggestions and I'll list them sepaprately but I want to get this entry posted so you'll have to wait with bated breath for that!

Bye for now and wish us luck!

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The Stage 2 slog begins

We had a meeting of our committee last night to go through all the things which have to be sorted before we can submit the Stage 2 application to the Big Lottery Fund. Wow! There is MASSES to get through. Luckily, there are 5 of us and 4 of us are mothers so automatically fall into the "Superwoman" category....I just sneak in by default. Only joking. There is a LOT to do but it will be worthwhile.

Our Great Leader (Helen from here on in...she prefers Great Leader but it takes too long to type) has prepared a letter to the Parish News to let everyone know how we are getting on and update them on the project. For those of you who don't read the Parish News, here it is:

"Bamford Play Area Improvement Plan

Firstly, a massive "Thank You!" to everyone who has helped with repairs and maintenance of the play area, including Lefarge for their donation of £400, Harry Beckett, Bill Thorp, Neil Deakin, Nigel Eyre, Simon Pill and Mark Wood. Without the work they have carried out for us, the play area would probably have been closed by now due to Health & Safety concerns.

Thank you also to Paul Towers and Mark Wood for mowing the grass.

We would also like to thank Sue Beckett and the Bamford with Thornhill Recreation Ground Committee for their continued support of our project.

So far we have raised over £18,000 and would like to thank Mr S Sampson, Bamford Parochial Church Council, Bamford WI, Bamford Parish Council, Sir Hugh and Lady Sykes and the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire Charitable Trust in reaching this total. A specially big thank you to the ladies of West Lees Road for all their hard work and everyone else who helped with the clothes sale, including Joan Carrington's granddaughters, Rachel and Sarah, who very kindly sent us some lovely clothes to sell along with £600 they raised by running a race.

The great news is that we received Stage 1 Approval for a grant from the Groundwork Uk Community Spaces and Big Lottery Fund. So thank you very much to all of you who filled in our questionnaires and signed the petition which helped us with planning our project and showed the necessary community support for our application.

It would really help if you can all support us further with Stage 2 of the Lottery application by logging onto http://www.friendsofbamfordplayarea.blogspot.com/, and leave comments, pass on ideas, ask questions or voice any concerns. All fundraising ideas or advice always welcome.

Or, if you would prefer, you can contact us by phone:

[I'm not going to put phone numbers onto the web of course but if you contact me by email through the blog, I'll be happy to redirect you]

Thank you for your continued support."

So, that's all as clear as mud. Check in again soon as I reckon things are going to progress pretty quickly now that we've reached this stage. Fingers crossed please.

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Good news!!

I will have to keep this quick as I'm going out but I wanted to report the good news:

Our application to the Big Lottery has passed the first stage. We now progress to the more detailed phase. We have a "Facilitator" allocated to us to review our proposals and have to complete a more complicated application form and provide evidence of community support and all sorts.

This is where it gets serious!

It''s still brilliant news though....

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I'd like to thank my agent....sob

No really. The Committee have asked me to post an entry on the blog thanking everyone who has put such a lot of effort into keeping the playground going over the last few years. Without their efforts, giving up precious time and materials, the few pieces of equipment we have left would have given up the ghost too.

In particular, the fort, which is staying even when (if!) we raise the funds for the redesign, would have had to be condemned were it not for several people who gave up weekends and evenings to rebuild it. Gates have been rehung and climbing frames mended.

I don't really know all the people who have contributed so I'm wary of naming names as I'd be sure to miss someone out. But we do really appreciate the work and it has made a big difference.

Also, it shows how much the play area is appreciated by us locals. If fathers and mothers give up hard-earned leisure time, you know there must be good reason. That's why it's so important for us to get this funding so that we'll have something worth saving and locals can use the facility they have worked so hard to preserve.

So a big pat on the back to all of you - you know who you are and so do we!!

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