Celebrating £41,000 jackpot for park project

The Billinghay Park Project was launched two years ago by a couple of mums with a table top sale and ended up with major funding from WREN.

Amanda Thornton from the project said: “We are just waiting for the agreement letter to come. The parish council applied for it on our behalf and then we can order the play equipment which the children picked themselves.

“I can’t wait. I’m hoping we can get something installed for the summer holidays.”

The four pieces are: a roundabout, a ‘dragon’s lair’, a multi-use sports wall and a climbing frame, all suitable for primary school age children.

Mrs Thornton said she and Chloe Conway started the campaign with help from parents: “She put a comment on Facebook that the park was disgraceful, with nothing for the kids to do and people agreed.”

Mrs Thornton admitted people had not been optimistic at the beginning, but this has changed. They have raised over £4,000 towards the project and have backing from the parish council, village hall committee and Community Plan.

Now they are bidding for a Lottery grant to upgrade the toddler area and resurface the car park. They aim to raise an additional £10,000, starting with a Village Show on July 10, from 11am-5pm on the field.