During the sweltering final days of June, representatives of Great Shelford Playscape and the Parish Council interviewed three very different design practices for the job of master-planning our recreation ground.

“Hang-on!” I hear you cry, “We thought you were sorting out the play provision!” well yes, we are, but if we are to create a successful playscape we need to consider all recreation ground users, all ages, access and storage.

To quote Steve Jobs:

“Design is not just how something looks or how it feels, design is how it works …”

and we want the rec to work hard for all its users. So, drum roll please…

Winning tender

We are delighted to announce that Erect Architecture have won the tender! A multi-award-winning practice, highly experienced in play spaces, their recent designs include Tumbling Bay Playground at the Olympic Park. Playfulness & inclusiveness are core values, indeed their Evelyn Court Design (pictured) was singled out by our focus groups. We met Susanne Tutsch and Ashleigh Watkins who demonstrated creativity, inspired confidence and exhibited a quiet strength needed to lead such a project.

Going online

As you can tell, our website has launched!  Hooray!  Many thanks to Dave Jones of platform twenty for all his hard work. Also thanks to all of you who followed the mass of green balloons to our stall at the feast – fantastic to meet so many enthusiastic people.

If you haven’t already please fill in our online survey .  The Great Shelford Playscape team wants to hear from all users of the rec: children, adults, everyone!

And finally

Great Shelford Playscape has been the surprise beneficiary of Kings Mill Lane Road repairs (they had a surplus after the bill was paid so kindly donated £200!) and a very generous private donation of £1000, added to that the Parish Council voted to award us £5000 to kick start the initial design phases and help us register with the Charity Commission.

Phew! Probably time to put the kettle on and check out some websites…