Upton athlete and international swimmer, Oliver Peace, was on hand on Sunday (17th March) to unveil the newest play area local to Sutcliffe Play, at Upton Village Green.
The grand opening – which marked the culmination of a two-year scheme to transform the village green – was attended by residents, as well as representatives from the Parish Councils Working Party who have been at the forefront of the plans since the project began.
Attendees enjoyed a meet and greet with Oliver, with children excitedly testing out the new equipment, whilst bouncy castles, drinks and snacks were a welcome addition, bringing the community together and providing an afternoon of fun for the whole family.
The design and consultation process was carried out by Groundwork, a charity that works to transform communities, whilst Sutcliffe Play provided playground equipment including items from its inclusive range such as the Inclusive Roundabout, Dish, and Springie, designed to enable children of all abilities to play together.
Sheryl Smith, Area Sales Manager at Sutcliffe Play, said: “When the Council came to us, the key thing was to create a safe space where local children could play, and where families could enjoy quality time in an area where vehicles had previously been driven across the green, preventing safe use of the open space.
“Being Upton-based ourselves, it was really important that the community see the benefit from having an inclusive space for children of all ages. The site is now home to a range of equipment that includes swings, slides and roundabouts, and the children had great fun testing it out on opening day!”
Bryan Mears, Chairman of Upton and North Elmsall Parish Council, said: “The Parish Council would like to thank the Parish Development Working Party for originally instigating the scheme, and for working with Groundwork and Sutcliffe Play to bring the scheme from the drawing board to full fruition. All members of the Working Party are extremely happy with this long-awaited project, which marks the largest re-development scheme our village has seen in over 30 years.”