Exford Village Green & Community Play Area

Your Parish Council is responsible for the village green and the maintenance, safety and improvement of the play area on the village green. The village green is used for some annual or special events and the school sports day. The existing play equipment was fully refurbished, partly replaced and added to with a fund raising campaign by Exford Parish Council from 2011 to 2014. It raised nearly £45,000, with less than 7% of this coming from Parish Council funds. The ‘new’ play area was officially opened in June 2014, and has been a great success. The Parish Council would like to thank everyone who gave their time, money and skills, including volunteers, individual contributors, local businesses, charities, regional and national funding bodies.

There is an infant/junior play area with a swing, a slide, a boat, a springer pony, a springer motorbike, etc. In addition there are larger swings, a zip wire, a roundabout, a rota bounce, a gravity bowl, a goal & basketball frame, a junior slide, a rope frame and exploration trail equipment.

Some of the new play equipment is designed to be used by those with physical disabilities – the roundabout is accessible by wheelchair and the large bowl swing is designed for a parent and toddler to be together.

The play equipment and surfaces are regularly inspected during the year by Parish Councillors and have a full annual inspection and report by an independent expert.

In April 2017 the Parish Council purchased 10 tonnes of rubber chippings (from Eco Chippings) to put down on the areas previously covered by wood chips. This is a safer cushion surface and is much longer lasting than wood chip, and so will save money over the next few years. Most of the cost was met through fund-raising. Thanks to everyone who contributed and to those who helped move and spread the rubber chippings.

The village green has been designated as a ‘No Dogs’ area in the interests of safety and hygiene, apart from one right of way across the green where dogs must be kept on a lead when crossing the green.