Express & Star

£48,000 secured to transform old play area

More than £48,000 has been awarded to a popular children's play area in Coven to help bring it back to life for children.

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The £48,316 grant from The Veolia Environmental Trust, will go to Brewood and Coven Parish Council to transform the dilapidated playground.

The play area on School Lane, Coven, has equipment which is more than 20 years old and some pieces are no longer deemed fit for purpose or meet modern standards.

These will be replaced with new pieces aimed at four to 14 year olds and some of the new equipment will be suitable for disabled children and those with limited mobility.

Some of the existing equipment will be repainted and upgraded, whilst the area around the play equipment will be landscaped and safety grass surfacing will be laid.

The executive director of The Veolia Environmental Trust, Paul Taylor, said: "We are really pleased to be able to support this exciting project and we look forward to seeing the transformed play space being used and enjoyed.

"Our application process is a competitive one, so the parish council and the other successful applicants must be congratulated on their success."

The grant is one of 33 awarded by The Veolia Environmental Trust to community and environmental projects in England, with a grant total of more than £1 million. Since 1998, they have awarded more than £1.7m to 57 projects in Staffordshire and they will now start working with the parish council to finalise the project's details, including its start date, so that work can begin as soon as possible.

Assistant clerk to Brewood and Coven Parish Council, Gemma Jones, said: "The revamp of the play space that this grant will fund will create a space for lots of fun and adventure.

"It will provide acceptable risk and challenge opportunities for children aged four to 14.

"Everyone is looking forward to work starting and, more importantly, finishing so everyone can begin to benefit from the new play park."

Earlier this year, a committee started a fundraiser to update the park, raising £340 of a £2,000 target.

The Coven Playing Field Committee received the backing of MP Gavin Williamson who commended their 'fantastic work' in the summer.

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