Sibford Ferris Parish Council is delighted to announce the completion of the newly refurbished play area which was formally opened last Friday. The new equipment is being well used already and we hope that more children will discover it and enjoy it in the coming months.

There are many people to thank for their assistance in bringing this project about. It would not have been possible without the commuted sum set aside for play facilities as part of the planning permission to convert the Sibford School Manor site into homes.

We are also grateful to SITA Trust UK Ltd for their generous grant of £5575 which paid for the playhouse; junior and cradle swings, two springies, three seats and the litter bin. SITA Trust provides funding through the Landfill Communities Fund. Funding is available for community and environmental groups to carry out a range of improvement projects.

The Play Area Liaison Group much appreciated the help and advice given by the Oxfordshire Playing Fields Association in the initial stages of the project.

Thanks also to all those of you who responded to the questionnaires on what you wanted from a local play area. As mentioned before, there has been fantastic support as well from the many individuals who have given their time and skills towards the project and in preparing the site, etc and we should like to repeat our thanks to them.

We would like to take the opportunity to stress to parents and carers that this junior play area has been designed to appeal to a range of ages, and not all the equipment is suited to very small children. Close supervision of younger children at all times is therefore very important. We very much hope, however, that everyone will find something there to enjoy.

Sibford Ferris Parish Council.