New children's play area in Scotter thanks to funding

The funding comes after years of community events, fundraising and volunteering to work out what the children of the parish wanted and how much this would cost.

The play area, which was awarded funding under Biffa Award’s Recreation theme, will aim to create a new Toddler and Junior Children’s Play Area in Scotter, including a fantastic double zip line for older children.

The existing play area is more than 25-years-old and has made thousands of children happy throughout its life but is now ready to be replaced with new, more exciting play equipment that children of all ages will enjoy for years to come.

Scotter War Memorial Playing Fields Committee have secured £70,000 from Biffa Award and other grants secured include £20,000 from Mondegreen, £10,000 from the Big Lottery Fund, £10,000 from Scotter Parish Council, £8,000 from West Lindsey District Council, £1,000 from Groundwork UK/Tesco’s Bags for Life along with the Committee’s own funding of £4,000.

Rachel Maidment, Biffa Award Grants manager, said: “At times like this it is more important than ever that we continue to support projects that build our communities, like this new play area for the children of Scotter in Lincolnshire. Hopefully in the not too distant future we will be able to see children enjoying the new facilities”.

Members of Scotter War Memorial Playing Fields Committee have been working hard over the past three years consulting with the local parents and children, designing the new play area based on the most popular views, applying for grants and organising lockdown fundraising events such as the 2020 Scotter Scarecrow competition and the 2020 Scotter Duck Race on the River Eau.

Martin Ely, from Scotter War Memorial Playing Fields, said: “We are delighted to have finally secured enough money to build our new play area for generations of children to come.

"We really hope they all enjoy the fantastic new equipment and it brings smiles and laughter to them for years to come.”

Now enough funding is secured, orders have been placed for the new play equipment and a contractor employed to undertake the work. Hopefully, after Easter the project will be complete and ready for a Grand Opening Event, where all the local children can come along and enjoy the brand new facility.