Press release and photocall 8 May 2008

The Chairman of South Derbyshire District Council, Cllr Mick Bale will be opening the brand new Big Lottery-funded play area with the new Big Lottery-funded new play officer Catherine Lissaman at 10.30 am on Friday 9 May, 2008 at Salisbury Drive, Midway

Last winter when it was cold and damp, children in Midway were invited to dream of playing outside with their friends. Now their dreams have become a reality with the brand new play area at Salisbury Drive, Midway. The play area, created after consulting young people, is being officially opened by the Chairman of South Derbyshire District Council, Cllr Mick Bale on Friday 9 May at 10.30 am.

Says Cllr Bale, "The Council is committed to making South Derbyshire healthier, and with Big Lottery Funding, youngsters in Midway can get in the fresh air and have fun on the new play equipment. There hasn’t been anything in area for kids to play on for five years and now they are have a large multi-activity play area with a mini-climbing wall and rope ladders, swings and springers. Children can enjoy a variety of challenging play activities to burn off some energy."

"We have worked in partnership with Hartshorne Parish Council, with money from the Big Lottery fund to make life better for young people."

The Big Lottery has helped to provide two other new play areas for the under 12s in South Derbyshire at Rosliston and at Stenson Fields. In June last year the Big Lottery provided £200,000 to fund 'Get South Derbyshire Playing'

Says Cllr Bale, "'Get South Derbyshire Playing' is a variety of play projects including these three new play areas. The Big Lottery has also mainly funded our new play officer Catherine Lissaman who will be adding to play for youngsters throughout our District. She will be making even better our existing and very popular summer play schemes such as Sportsmobile and the mobile skate park and also offering activities as new giant games of Jenga, chess, snakes and ladders, along with arts and craft work. She'll also be working so that kids can have more fun being with their mates or finding just playing on their own."

"All the Big Lottery funded projects have come about though South Derbyshire District Council giving a voice to the wishes of community groups in the South Derbyshire Play Partnership which has involved Parish Councils, the Primary Care Trust, CVS, nurseries and schools and play providers such as the Phoenix After School club. You read all these stories about young people being unhappy and even depressed. Working together, the partnership is helping to make a new generation healthier and hopefully happier."

Even more activities will be available in this summer at Salisbury Drive as the creation of a new multi use games area comes closer to reality, which will cater for a variety of games such as five-a-side, basketball, netball and tag rugby.