SUBJECT TO DAYLIGHT HOURS
The welfare park is run by a committee of volunteers. It provides a safe haven and play area for children of all ages and physical abilities.
The site where the park is situated was purchased in 1923 by three local gentlemen who re mortgaged their homes to provide the children of the village with a safe area to play. given there generosity they asked that a condition was that the park always remains privately owned by the village and used purely to benefit the children of the community.
In 2015 the welfare park was in need of some TLC and upgrading. As a resident of the village I took on this challenge by firstly forming a committee of volunteers that would work upon making the area safe and secure for families to enjoy. I easily found residents willing to assist and form the said committee along with the support of Ramsey and Parkeston Parish Council. We have and continue to work hard in bringing our park up to a standard that we are extremely proud of, thus this being possible in successfully obtaining grants and funding from various community sources and charity based funding organisations.
Tendring District council gave their support by leasing an area of land large enough to create a football pitch that is used for youth grass roots football. The perimeter fencing was achieved through funding.
The Environment Agency supported the committee in leasing land that runs along the river giving us the opportunity to set up various activities including linking with teen talk and other teenager groups. teen talk is an amazing local community charity based organisation that works with teenagers in addressing multiple issues that impact there young lives. They have created allotments within the wildlife environment area. They have mural projects that they submit designs for allotted areas and we get to have a say in what mural they paint, eg…The whole side of a metal storage unit/container was designed to show all children of all nationalities playing together and enjoying the park.
Through a lot of hard work of the committee we have managed to secure funding that enhanced the park with new equipment. We have a zip wire that has proved very popular with children of all ages. We have a slide that comes down a small hill, again very popular. We have a ten piece adult outside gym that again is popular but more so in the summer.
We have a children friendly recycling bin waste, three large bins all of different colours. one is for food waste & general, one for tin cans, one for plastic. this area is greatly received by the parents and helps to teach the children about the need to recycle.
We have what I can only describe as a district tin can collection in aid of the welfare park. the whole of the district collect, crush and deliver to us. I along with a few committee volunteers crush the not crushed cans ready to be weighed in at a scrap yard. we do two/three runs a year that money gets paid direct into the welfare park bank account and goes towards the annual cost of insurance plus the open space/equipment safety inspection report that is required annually.
Parkeston welfare park and residents association hold annual events to help generate funds for the cost of repairs, maintenance, floor safe rubber matting etc. These annual events are very popular with our local families and surrounding community. Family fun days, Halloween party night, Children Christmas party. these events are supported by the local businesses and Ramsey and Parkeston parish council.
Due to increased vandalism we have sadly but necessarily had to install CCTV. This log is only viewed either by police or by a safe guard volunteer that has had a full DBR checks. This CCTV has helped to address the this problem.
We take great pride in the achievements we have accomplished to date and without the time, dedication and hard work given by our volunteers/committee this would not have been possible.
