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An Appeal to Villagers from the Sheepscombe Village Hall Trustees

18th February 2018 Update

The village hall trustees launched their appeal to help fund a new children's play area at the beginning of

February. Thank you to everyone who has donated. We are hoping to raise more funds from villagers

before we approach external sources of matched funding from local councils, businesses and trusts. The

total cost of the scheme is £17,900.

Some villagers have asked for additional information, so we have added more pictures and “general

information” below. Some villagers have expressed surprise at the cost of the scheme. We acknowledge

that the cost is substantial. We gave consideration to a ‘DIY’ approach, but quickly dismissed this because

of the modern safety standards, the requirements of our insurers and the need to have annual RoSPA

inspections. We chose a specialist supplier using components requiring minimal maintenance, which was

willing to provide a lengthy warranty.

The existing play area, which has served the children and grandchildren of Sheepscombe well since 2007, is

now in a state of disrepair. One of the swings has already been condemned on health and safety grounds

and the second is likely to meet the same fate before the end of summer 2018.

In order to continue to provide a valuable resource to the young people of Sheepscombe, together with their

parents and grandparents, and to avoid the area becoming an eye-sore of abandoned un-serviceable

equipment, the Village Hall trustees have decided on a comprehensive re-design of the area that we believe

provides significantly improved amenities for the village on the same ground area.

Pictures and information about the proposed design

are included below. The equipment comprises of two

tower structures connected by a bridge, three swings

and a sit on train. One of the towers takes the form of

a castle or fort and the other tower has a roof creating

an elevated den. The towers can be climbed using a

ladder, climbing wall or net and are connected by a

bridge. Children will enjoy climbing the towers, and

they will engage in imaginative play whether they are

knights, princesses, dragons, trolls or billy goats.

The upper sections of the towers are accessible to

children aged 2-3 and above. For toddlers, there is the

opportunity to play in the dens underneath the towers, on the train which will have a steering wheel and

carriage to sit in, or on the toddler swings.

As the Village Hall is a registered charity there are significant tax advantages, both to the Hall and to the

donor, in making such donations. Suppose you are a higher rate taxpayer and you donate £500; under the

Gift Aid scheme the Village Hall can reclaim 25% of the donation from HMRC, so a £500 donation actually

raises £625. You can claim 25% tax relief on the donation, so your £500 donation actually only costs you

£375. So, in effect, you give £375 and the taxman gives £250!

We hope that more Sheepscombe residents will support this initiative. If you would like to make a donation,

I would be grateful if you could please print and complete the slip below and send it, along with a cheque to

Rob Jones, Village Hall Treasurer, or make a bank transfer (see details below). If you are happy to donate but

wish your identity to be withheld from trustees and villagers please let Rob know. If you have any questions

or comments please respond to sheepscombeplayarea@gmail.com.

Ian Grant, Chairman

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Proposed Design:

Resident name Amount of donation Preferred payment via (please tick box)… Cheque, or Bank transfer

£ Please send to Rob Jones, Lord’s Wood Cottage, The Grove, Sheepscombe, Stroud, GL6 7RJ Bank account: 00336520 Sort Code: 30-98-29

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General information

The overall size is similar to the existing playground; the total area of safety matting is about 90m2.

Castle and fort

This includes:

• Tower

• Tunnel

• Clatter bridge

• 2 x ladders

• 2 x climbing walls

• Slide

Double swing frame

2 x cradle (baby) swings and 1 x flat swing (or 1x flat and 2x cradle - to be confirmed) Height: 2400mm

Safety The playground equipment, safety surface and documentation will conform to the requirements of BS EN 1176-1:2017

Guarantees • 15 years on all timber sections, including plywood, against rot, insect infestation and delamination

• This guarantee covers repair or replacement and includes materials and installation