7th November 2022
Funding approved for new play equipment in Knowle Park, Swingate
Children in Swingate are set to get new playground equipment, and refurbishment of existing equipment and flooring thanks to a £40,569.54 grant from FCC Communities Foundation together with £8,000 funding from Kimberley Town Council.
The money will be used to buy new facilities, including a zip line, a cycle track, wheelchair-accessible tables and a swing seat that can be used children with special needs at Knowle Park in Swingate. The project will also replace worn bark flooring under existing equipment with a safer, hard-wearing rubberised surface.
The project is aimed at improving facilities for children of primary school age and follows surveys of children at nearby Kimberley Primary School as well as local residents.
The initiative has received very positive endorsement from Lisa Turner-Rowe, former Head Teacher at Kimberley Primary School, Helen Bray, Kimberley School’s Special Needs Coordinator as well as local Councillors.
The former Head Teacher of Kimberley Primary, Lisa Turner-Rowe said, “Children on our school council brought up the fact that the (existing) equipment could not be used by all children as it was designed for those who do not have mobility or access difficulties and have suggested specialist swing systems as a way that it could be more inclusive”
Sam Boneham, local Swingate resident and member of Kimberley Town Council has been a driving force behind getting this initiative off the ground and believes the changes to the park will make a huge difference to people living int the area. He says: “It’s fantastic that FCC Communities Foundation and Kimberley Town Council have awarded this money and we’re really looking forward to our new-look park taking shape over the next 6 months. I’d like to also thank other members of Kimberley Town Council, Trevor Rood, Ian Wilson and Neil Doherty for helping put this project together.”
FCC Communities Foundation is a not-for-profit business that awards grants for community
projects through the Landfill Communities Fund.
Richard Smith, FCC Communities Foundation senior grant manager, says: “We’re delighted to be supporting the play area improvements at Knowle Park and pleased our funding will provide such a fantastic facility for children and young families across Kimberley. FCC Communities Foundation is always happy to consider grant applications for projects that make a difference to local communities and we’re really looking forward to seeing this one take shape soon.”
Work in the park is expected to start early in the new year, with the aim of having the changes completed by late spring 2023.
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www.fcccommunitiesfoundation.org.uk info@fcccommunitiesfoundation.org.uk
www.kimberley-tc.gov.uk
Media information:
For further press information please contact Neil Doherty, neil.doherty7@gmail.com, 07771 660868.
Notes to editors:
- Kimberley Town Council is the local parish council serving the residents of Kimberley, Swingate ang Babbington.
- FCC Communities Foundation is a not-for-profit business that awards grants for
community, conservation and heritage projects from funds donated by FCC
Environment through the Landfill Communities Fund and Scottish Landfill
Communities Fund. Since 1998, FCC Communities Foundation has granted over
£200m to more than 7,000 projects which benefit people living within 10 miles of a
FCC Environment landfill site. For more information please visit
www.fcccommunitiesfoundation.org.uk
- FCC Environment is the leading UK waste and resource management company and
is part of a global group with a strong heritage in providing services for communities
and business. Its vision is to be the environmental company of choice, delivering
change for a sustainable future. It employs 2,400 people and operates more than
200 facilities across England, Scotland and Wales. FCC Environment donates the
landfill tax credits that are generated by its operations to FCC Communities
Foundation, in order to add value to the environmental and social infrastructure of
the communities around landfill sites. www.fccenvironment.co.uk
- The Landfill Communities Fund and Scottish Landfill Communities Fund – any waste
that is discarded which cannot be reused, reprocessed or recycled may ultimately be
disposed of in a landfill site. To encourage the re-use, recycle and recovery of more
value from waste and use more environmentally friendly methods of waste disposal,
Landfill Tax is charged on each tonne of waste sent to landfill. Landfill Operators
(LOs) are able to redirect a small proportion of landfill tax liability to support a wide
range of community and environmental projects in the vicinity of landfill sites
through the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) and Scottish Landfill Communities
Fund (SLCF). The LCF is regulated by ENTRUST on behalf of HM Revenue & Customs,
and the projects are delivered by enrolled Environmental bodies (EBs). The SLCF is
regulated by SEPA on behalf of Revenue Scotland and projects are delivered by
Approved Bodies (ABs).