Whitworth Play Provision, Rossendale
12,07.2022
Yesterday, we had a wonderful day planting wildflowers with staff and children from the Tonacliffe Primary School ECO Team. They all worked incredibly hard and added hundreds of extra flower plugs around the site. In time, the new flowers will bloom and the play space will blend beautifully into it’s natural setting.
It was a pleasure working the the school Eco Team to finish this project – we really couldn’t have done it without them! 🙂
09.06.2022
Work continues on site in Whitworth, and we expect the play spaces to be completed in a few weeks time. Yesterday, the wonderful benches created by Rick Goodwin were installed – and they look amazing! The play equipment, some signage and some fencing are in, and work to clear invasive plants and smarten up the site will continue throughout June. We can’t wait until local children, families, nature and wildlife enthusiasts can all access and enjoy the new area. Wildflower planting will take place in July to add the finishing touches.
 
31.03.2022
What a great afternoon we had with Tonacliffe Primary School, Whitworth. The whole school popped out of lessons to see Rick Goodwin, a chainsaw sculptor, in action. He produced the beginnings of a lovely hare in just 10 minutes – and it was amazing to watch him work. Rick will be installing some gorgeous, carved seats in Spodden Valley in the next 6 weeks – just in time for Spring!
06.04.2021
Hello everyone – just a reminder that the work on the new wild play space for Whitworth will be starting soon – hopefully in May. The plan involves creating an entirely new play space with a strong natural play element, very different from traditional facilities and the space is being designed in a way that encourages children and families to explore the wider nature reserve and really make the most of the Spodden Valley area.
We’ll let you know when the contractors arrive on site. Once they start, work should be completed within about 12 weeks.
21.10.2020
Just a quick update to let you know that the project has been approved by the planning team. We’re now moving forward with the fundraising stages and hope to start work on site at some point in 2021. We’ll keep you posted on developments. Here’s a copy of the up to date plan as a reminder of what we’re hoping to achieve:
11.10.2019
Good progress is being made with the plans for a new play area in Whitworth.
15 sites were considered and after consulting residents, local groups, councillors
and council officers, Proffitts have managed to whittle the preferred general site to Spodden Valley.
To get to this general site the following were considered:
– residents comments
– proximity to local people
– distance from current play and sports facilities
– proximity to local shops and other amenities
– proximity to schools and nurseries
– access such as bus routes, main road and cycle route
– probability of benefiting a local business
Now we will take time to consider factors for that particular locality. The team will continue
to consult Lancashire Wildlife Trust for steer and direction to ensure that the plans do not
have a negative effect on the wildlife area, in fact the project could start to enhance the
natural environment. An ecologist has been employed to carry out a number of surveys –
biodiversity, bat and tree to inform if the site is suitable for play or not and which areas
would have little or no impact.
The plan is to be very considerate and incorporate natural materials, such as rope, wood
and boulders, throughout. It wouldn’t be fenced , nor would a rubber type play surfacing
be used as it just wouldn’t be appropriate for that particular public space. The play opportunity
would blend in beautifully to the existing environment and allow children and families to
connect with and use all their senses to understand nature as they play in it and engage with it.
The project would also hope to tackle areas of overgrowth, path improvements, signage and
remove patches of Japanese Knotweed and Himalayan Balsam.
Watch out for an update once the guidance and recommendations have been received from
the ecologists.
20.01.2020
Hi there. For your information. Please see a copy of the results from the consultation which was carried out.
30.01.2019
We need your help to determine the best location for a new Whitworth play facility, and we’d also really like your thoughts about the type of facility you and your family would like to see. We want to make sure we capture as many ideas as possible in making any potential improvements. Please take a couple of minutes to answer the questions on the very short Whitworth Play Provision Survey. The deadline for feedback is 8th March, 2019.
Thank you very much for your help!
08.01.2019
Happy New Year! Please find the press release for the project below. We look forward to working with the local community on the next phase.
Whitworth Play Provision Press Release
Working alongside local residents, children and young people – Rossendale Borough Council have requested Community Interest Company Proffitts – Investing in Communities carry out some consultation with regard to play provision in Whitworth. The team are working towards identifying 3 possible sites initially for the intended play area which aims to serve Whitworth as a whole as well as attract visitors from outside the area. Proffitts – Investing in Communities will soon be undertaking consultations with local residents, groups and town councillors to determine where the final play provision site should be located and ensuring that it is accessible for all as a destination. Please look out for the questionnaire. It will be left in various prominent places and be available online sometime in the New Year.
The consultation process will also allow residents to give their thoughts on the design of the intended play area as we would like to cater for as many people as possible it the play space could include anything aimed at toddler, junior or teens and compromise of traditional play, adventure play areas or parkour.
Once the consultations have taken place, the fund raising process will then begin.
Martin from Proffitts – Investing in Communities said “We are really looking forward to working through and identifying the best play site for the people of Whitworth. Whitworth is a lovely place to visit offering walks, heritage and wildlife – it would really add to the attraction of Whitworth if we could upgrade the play provision significantly for the benefit of generations of people from Whitworth and attract visitors into the area which would be great for local businesses”.
Cllr Oakes said: “We definitely need more play facilities in Whitworth so I am very happy this project is progressing. I hope as many people as possible give their views so we get it in the right area. This Council believes children should have plenty of opportunities to play. It’s a fundamental right of children.”
The image is of a play area delivered successfully in Helmshore, Rossendale. The proposed area for play could look like this.
If you would like more information, please contact Martin Proffitt at Proffitts (CIC) [email protected]
27.11.18
We are pleased to announce that Rossendale Borough Council have asked Proffitts – Investing in Communities to carry out some consultation with regard to play provision in Whitworth. We will soon be putting up an online questionnaire which you will be able to share via social media etc, we will also let you know where paper questionnaires will be made available. We will be asking the people of Whitworth to help determine where the play provision should be located, who it should be aimed at (smaller local play area or a more significant town based play) and also the design of the intended play area. We’d really like to provide something that you will all enjoy and we can only do this with your help so do please take the opportunity to have your say.
Watch this space for more information!