Boldre Play Park Social Spaces

Aim

Help Us Create New Social Spaces for Children at Boldre Play Park

Children need safe, welcoming places where they can meet friends, talk, laugh, and simply be together — face‑to‑face and outdoors.

At Boldre Play Park, we want to create two new social spaces that will give children of all ages somewhere to sit, connect, relax, and feel part of their community, right in the heart of our parish.

These spaces will support mental well-being, encourage friendships, and give families a beautiful, free place to spend time together — something that matters now more than ever.

If you value safe, welcoming places where children can meet, relax, and grow together, we would be incredibly grateful for your support.

Our Goal

Our aim is to enhance our much‑loved, family‑friendly play area by creating two outdoor social zones:

• Places for children and young people to socialise naturally
• Areas where families can pause, sit, and enjoy the surroundings
• Settings that support mental well-being and community connection

Together, these additions will broaden the appeal of Boldre Play Park and make it an even more welcoming place for everyone.

Who We Are

Boldre is a large, rural parish in the New Forest National Park.

Boldre Parish Council (BPC) represents the community, aims to deliver services to meet local needs and improve our community’s quality of life.

BPC owns and maintains Boldre Play Park and Recreation Ground, which sit next to Boldre War Memorial Hall and the Pilley Community Shop & Post Office. Together, these form the heart of our parish.

Our councillors, clerk, and groundsman, supported by civic‑minded volunteers, work hard to make Boldre a welcoming place to live, visit, and grow up.

What We’re Creating

Within our already highly popular play park, we plan to add two new social spaces:

The Hang‑Out Hut

A sheltered space where children and young people can sit and chat with friends.

• Semi open‑sided structure with a sedum roof
• Shelter from wind, rain, and sun
• Seating both inside and outside
• Designed using natural materials to blend with the surroundings

The Circular Seating Area

A flexible, open setting for groups and activities.

• Two tiers of seating formed by timber sleepers
• Circular layout, seating around 30 children
• Ideal for outdoor classes, picnics, storytelling, or performances
• A space for creativity, socialising, and shared experiences

The final designs will reflect the amount raised, but the images shown give a strong sense of the look and feel we are aiming for.

Designed for the New Forest

We are extremely privileged to live in the New Forest National Park and are committed to ensuring new facilities respect their surroundings.

• Natural materials and sympathetic design will always be prioritised
• Durability and safety will be balanced with aesthetics
• Wherever possible, we will use local tradespeople and volunteer help

Can Boldre Parish Council deliver projects like this?

Yes — and we already have.

BPC has a track record of successfully delivering significant improvements to the recreation ground.

In recent years, we have:

• Delivered the very ambitious Phase 1 of the new play park
• Recently added highly popular equipment for older children and adults
• Planted almost 40 trees and hundreds of bulbs
• Built strong partnerships with local clubs and organisations

From 2025, we are proud that Lawrence Sports Youth Football Club has made Boldre their home ground. The recreation ground also hosts adult and charity football matches in the summer and community events throughout the year.

This project builds on that success.

Don’t our Taxes pay for this?

Unfortunately, not.

BPC receives around £36 per year from each Band D household for all parish running and maintenance — that’s less than 70p per week.

So like most parish councils, we rely on grants and community donations to deliver new facilities. Without fundraising, projects like this simply cannot happen.

How Your Donation Will Be Used

Every pound donated will go directly towards creating these two social spaces.

• Construction will begin as soon as sufficient funds are available
• If funds raised exceed our target, the surplus will be ring‑fenced for our pavilion redevelopment project – already in the pipeline
• If funds fall significantly short, we may need to adjust what can be delivered — but we are committed to creating meaningful social spaces at the park

Please Help If You Can

BPC are very aware that the cost of living is a real concern for many, especially those with young families. Free, local spaces to play and socialise outdoors are more important than ever, especially for those who struggle to afford holidays or even days out.

If you can, please donate. Every contribution, no matter the size, brings us closer to creating spaces our community can be proud of – for this generation and the next.

Thank you for helping us enhance Boldre Play Park.

Sherwin Small

Amenities Chair

Boldre Parish Council 

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 31st July 2026 at 8:49am