Abseiling for Playscape!
On October 1st, 40 intrepid abseilers took on St Mary’s Tower! Before you could actually abseil your first challenge was to climb the steep winding steps, clamber over the enormous church bells and squeeze up another metal ladder. Fortunately you were greeted by the very cheery Hatt Events lot who had you roped up and out over the edge before you could say “!?!”.
With a steady stream of spectators the café and side stalls were kept busy and the teddy drop was huge fun! Melly, year-two’s school bear, had a rather adventurous exeat weekend being joint winner with 3-year-old Lily’s Angelina Ballerina. And those abseiling in the middle of the day had an extra challenge: Turns out, when it rains and you’re stuck to the side of the tower, the gargoyle above you pours water straight into your face!
So a huge thank you to all those who took on the challenge
and raised much needed funds for the Playscape scheme, to the willing volunteers who helped us run the entertainments, to Rev Simon Talbott and the church for allowing us to hold the event, to Gatward builders who came to our rescue at the eleventh hour, Bob Townsend for preparing the tower (and perhaps more importantly resetting things so the bells could ring out again on the Sunday!) and finally to our one and only Jenny David who organised it so magnificently.
Donations are still trickling in, however we have made at least £4000, which is a super effort. Ian Tomlinson, local father of four, raised a fantastic £1,170 before gift aid – a voucher for two at the Square and Compasses’ steak night is winging its way to him.
Co-op Community Fund – Please choose us!
Don’t forget, you can support Playscape with a swipe of your blue card. Simply log-on to your account and follow the instructions to choose us as your cause. This money will go directly into buying materials and plants for the Copse project.
We are delighted that Sophie O’Hara Smith, an experienced local Landscape Architect, is working on the detailed design for the area. She knows the rec well (having grown up in the village and personally planted many of the trees next to the copse!) and her aim is to sensitively extend the wilder elements along that stretch for all to enjoy.
Part of the design will be to site logs for informal benches and natural play. If you are having any tree work done over the autumn or winter would you consider donating a log or two? It would be great to source these locally, so please do get in touch.