Woodhorn Museum in Ashington has launched a public fundraising campaign to support the creation of a new accessible play area at the former colliery site.
"Play is an important part of learning, and a great way for children to express themselves. By expanding our existing play area to include more accessible and inclusive play equipment, we can ensure that all children can benefit from visiting our museum, and have the opportunity to learn about our county’s stories."
Rowan Brown, chief executive, Museums Northumberland.
Museums Northumberland - the independent charity that provides Northumberland’s museums service - has already secured over £50,000 in funding from SUEZ Communities Trust and The Ridley Family Charity to help deliver the project. Members of the public are being invited help raise the final amount needed to turn the planned accessible playground into a reality.
“We’ve already been successful is raising a significant amount of funding for the new play area thanks to generous donations from SUEZ Communities Trust and The Ridley Family Charity. We’re now asking members of the public to help us reach our final funding target so we can start work as soon as possible.”
Adding to the existing play area at Woodhorn Museum, the new accessible play equipment will include sensory experiences; helping children interact and learn through sound, vision and memory.
A new pairs game themed around Woodhorn Museum’s mining heritage will give children the opportunity to test their memory skills. And a rotating disk will provide a calming experience for children with autism.
A new fully accessible path to the playground and new seating will also be created.
The public fundraising campaign will add to the existing funding already secured through SUEZ Communities Trust and The Ridley Family Charity.
Messages of Support
Before submitting the initial funding bid, we consulted with our communities and partners and received some lovely messages of support for the project:
“I like the idea of sharing the equipment between different ages and abilities. There are too many places that have rules about who can use facilities. Actual age doesn’t always match ability or interest.”
“I think this is a fantastic idea and a brilliant initiative. This application is the latest initiative to reach families who desperately need support and provision in the area which has been sadly neglected for too long now.”
“What a great idea, my grandchildren love playing and it’s an essential part of any visit. Would love to see equipment and surfaces which allow all children to enjoy this space.”
Work is due to take place over the winter (subject to achieving the fundraising target) and the play area will open spring 2022.