Duke of Marlborough opens new playground

The playground, which features a children's play area along with outdoor fitness equipment for adults, will also provide much-needed PE facilities for the village’s primary school.

The opening event is the culmination of two years of planning and fundraising.

Graham Lawrence, Chair of the playground fundraising committee, said:

“We are delighted the Duke has agreed to come along and mark this momentous event for the village.

The playpark will have a crucially important role in the daily life of Wootton and we have consulted extensively to ensure it is fully accessible to all.

As well as a lay-in swing and playhouse that sits at ground level we have also included low-impact fitness equipment to encourage adults and older members of the community to engage in healthy outdoor activities and improve overall mental well-being."

Pupils from Wootton Primary School have also been involved in the planning process and have undertaken their own fundraising activities. The school only has a hardstanding area onsite and use the village playing field as their main sports field. We donated £10,000 towards the playground and are among a number of organisations who have provided funds to complete the new open space.

As well as our contribution, the project has also benefitted from generous donations by Viridor Credits, National Lottery Big Fund, West Oxfordshire District Council and Cottsway Housing.