After 6 years of planning, hard work, a number of sleepless nights and a roller coaster ride of hope and despondency, the Hawthorne Park Trust can now announce – with pride and relief - that the practical works for the Community Park, Thornton are nearing completion.
Just before Christmas last year we heard the good news we had been waiting for – our bid for £49,999 from Community Spaces (funds from the National Lottery) administered by Groundwork had been successful. This money, together with match funding of £20,000 from Lancashire County Council Environment projects, and £25,000 from the Lancashire Environment Fund has enabled us to go ahead with Phase 3 of the Hawthorne Park Project. This will complete the vision begun in 2003 when at a Wyre Strategic Partnership meeting, a Thornton Action Group member (Jenie Phillips) and the Vicar of St. John’s Church, Thornton (Rev. Paul Clemence) started the ball rolling to provide a much needed play and exercise space and equipment for young people of Thornton.
In January 2004, the Wyre Strategic Partnership Board adopted the project – as a 6 month long “quick win“. Six years later this mini project has matured into “a ground breaking co-operative venture” – to quote Bill Reed, the Partnership Development Manager – between a Community group and Wyre Borough Council. Essential to the success has been the support of the local residents, youth groups, schools, churches and police.
Phase 1 involved draining the muddy field, laying lawns and paths, planting trees and shrubs, creating the wild life conservation area and installing the first items of play equipment.
Phase 2 began the installation of teenage play and exercise equipment.
Phase 3 will see the completion of the more challenging equipment for young people and the sports wall. This will – we hope – encourage healthy exercise and reduce the boredom factor which can lead to troublesome behaviour.
During this time the Trust (formally constituted in 2007) has formed a Friends Group, co-ordinated planting and litter picking, organised a Fun Day, and – most importantly – sought funding from a variety of sources. Our funders make an impressive list, headed by Wyre Borough Council and including the Wyre Strategic Partnership, Wyre Community Safety Partnership, Wyre Housing, the Lancashire Environment Fund, Awards for All, Candis, Rotary, Lancashire County Council, some local firms, Friends coffee mornings and our Youth Group (from the Youth Capital Fund). The Big Lottery Play Scheme funded Phase 2. And now – Community Spaces has completed the list in style.
We are now eagerly waiting for our contractors – W J Wilkinson – to complete Phase 3. This is well underway and should be ready by Easter. We are indebted to our Wyre Borough Council partners who have supported and encouraged the project in so many ways through the efforts of officers and members. Our project manager for Phase 3 is Mark Fenton of the Environmental Design team, and we have ongoing help and maintenance through the Green Spaces team and Wyre Countryside Rangers. The fact that the project is approaching completion is testimony to the importance of the guiding principles of the Wyre Strategic Partnership – we are “stronger together”.
Jenifer Phillips
Secretary Hawthorne Park Trust