MERIDEN Adventure Playground Association has become the latest community group to benefit from the HS2 Community and Environment Fund (CEF).
They have been successful in their bid for a £75,000 grant to improve the adventure playground in Chelmsley Wood.
The project will involve installing two new large converted shipping containers at the playground to be used by children and young people after school, in the evenings or when the weather is cold or wet, especially during the winter.
The playground is a creative, safe, user led space where young people can enjoy outdoor space, exercise their imagination and bodies, and eat healthy food.
The HS2 Community and Business funds were launched in 2017 and have to date supported 34 projects in the West Midlands which have shared over £1.6million.
Projects have ranged from community facilities upgrades, sports programmes, to schemes to support people into employment and training.
Cathy Elliott, independent chair of the HS2 Funds, said: “Open community spaces are now vital more than ever.
“This project is more than a playground for local children and young people and their families, and I am pleased that the Meriden Adventure Playground Association has been successful in its application to the HS2 Community and Environment Fund.
“The HS2 Funds are available to support local communities and businesses that are impacted by the construction of HS2 and I welcome other organisations near to the line of route to apply and gain the tangible benefits of these Funds.”
Ali Wood, Chair of Trustees of the Meriden Adventure Playground Association, said: “We are thrilled to have these containers to give us some warm, dry space for the first time in the playground’s history.
“This will enable us to have an office and training/meeting space as well as space for all kinds of children and young people’s activities when the weather is bad and it is dark. It will make a huge difference to future winters and both groups and individuals that we support.”
As construction of HS2 gets underway, applications for the funds are still being welcomed. The Funds for Phase One, independently administered by community charity Groundwork UK, support urban and rural, community, environmental and business projects.
