Marna is delighted to announce that the new playground is now open! It’s taken over three years of consulting, fundraising and negotiating planning decisions but finally Mayfield children have somewhere to meet and play again.

Climbing frame
Rory and Ashley Sowter enjoying the new playground at the Mayfield Recreational Association

Marna started by asking the village what they wanted and then asked companies to tender for the work. We received three designs which we publicised on the internet and around the village, asking people to choose their favourite. One hundred and fifteen people voted and the winner was a design by Hags, featuring play equipment for children from 2 to 12 years old, including disabled children.

We then kickstarted raising the money to pay for it by Crowdfunding. Over one hundred families and local businesses contributed raising over £3000. This was quickly supplemented by further fundraising efforts.

On the swings
Isla Mellor checks out the new swings

Marna continued to also apply for grants. We’d like especially to thank East Staffordshire Borough Council, Moy Park Community Fund, Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund, Trent and Dove Federation, Councillor Community Fund and Leek United Charity Foundation. We’d also like to thank Ed Barker, until recently our Borough Councillor, for his continual support.

Altogether we raised over £60,000. The new playground is already an extremely popular place for Mayfield children to meet and play with their friends – very necessary since our much loved village school closed. Rory Sowter, one of the first children to rush to the new playground, exclaimed:

“It’s very impressive and really fun!”

Marna and the Mayfield Recreational Association would like to thank all who contributed to the playground – we are so grateful for your overwhelming encouragement and support – and particularly all the children now using it.

Alz Coates, chair of Marna, commented “I am very proud of what we have achieved on the playground project , we seen the project to the end, we were determined to keep fundraising until we reached the full amount. All members of MARNA are volunteers. I am very greatful for their time and effort they have all put in. Heartfelt thank you to Kevin, Jill, Katie, Fiona and Pamela. I would like to extend my gratitude to local business that supported us and our community, especially Andrew, Albert and John, grants panels and Mayfield Recreational Association. We have a lovely playground for the children in our community that we can all be very proud of.”

Marna at the playground
Marna + Albert Golding at the playground

Role of Honour

Friends of Mayfield Playground: Major Community Sponsors

The Blackwells, Martin & Pippa Soar, Joe & Ewa Hughes, Kylie Robinson, Karl Russell, Keith Layden, Katie Russell, Mary Dunn, Jill Studholme, Kerry Turner, Ruby Stanley, Steve Mellor, Mrs Bradbury, Maureen Burton, Sandra Terry, Andrew Reay-Robinson, Alder Carr Farm, Bowmer Bond Narrow Fabrics Limited, F.W.Harrison (Commercials) Ltd, Briggs Equipment, Mayfield FC – Winter & Summer League, Mayfield Stores, Marna, Mayfield Recreational Association and Mayfield Memorial Hall

Our Grant Givers

East Staffordshire Borough Council, Moy Park Community Fund, Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund, Trent and Dove Federation, Councillor Community Fund  and Leek United Charity Foundation.

Our Other Supporters

Helen Meadows, Mairi Forbes, Fiona Harrower,  Mrs Katy E Lewis,  John Webb, Georgina Sinfield,  Louise Audtin, Anne McFarlane, Denise Roberts, Amy Greene, Wendy Greatorex, Sara Blackwell, Gareth Jones, Eileen Lee, Sharon Udale,  Sophie Conlon, Briggs Equipment UK Ltd, Kirsty, David Holt, David Moss, John Gill, Paul Revell, Alz Coates, Kevin Coates, Kim Stephenson, Mal Kelsey, Anita Kent, Andrew Balderson, Amy Whyte, Jennifer McDonald, Stephen Sturgess, Carol Akers, Rebecca Lewis, Lucy Watkin, Steve Mellor, Natalie Wakefield, Mrs K Ings, Phil Cook, Donna Tebbatt,  Vickie Green, Jacqueline Beetham,  Geoff Harrison & John Parker from Hanging Bridge Tug-of-War Club, Rachael Hayes, Sara Hill, Joanne Sowter, Lisa Udale, Fay Whitefield,  Bob Carter, Jenny Gallagher, Mr & Mrs Don Lemon, Rose and Crown, Duncan Hibbs, Linda Evans, Katie LambCo, Lynn Silcock, Kate Glover, Christine Allen, Martin Hill, Angie Sumner, MR ACW Wimbush, Graham Burke, Poppy Reay-Robinson, Pat Smith, Margaret Balderson, Pete Stephenson, Phil & Lynn Cook, Alison Bentley, Simon Duczak, Mrs Barbara Cole, Brian Hasler, Joyce and Wally Beeson, Judith Allen, Kelly Cotton, Albert Golding, Sharon Amy, David and Linda Boyce plus all those who preferred to remain anonymous or who took part in any of our fundraising activities like Fish and Chips Bingo, buying plants, Village fair, Mayfield Organics purchases and Halloween band Dogs on Bees. Thank you all!


0 Comments

Leave a Reply

Avatar placeholder

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *