Work starts at Farm Green playground
A new farm themed playground is being created at Lower Bevendean – thanks to a community effort.
Members of the Friends of Farm Green have spent over two years fundraising and working with Brighton & Hove City Council, to re-develop the playground in Lower Bevendean. Work is due to start on 4 February.
Local mums; Jayne Van Rensburg, Claire Jacobs and Mitchie Alexander began a fundraising campaign in 2016 with the aim of completely renovating the broken and dilapidated equipment in the playground and to improve the surrounding green space so local children have somewhere safe and fun to play.
Supported by the local community and businesses
They have now raised more than £70,000 with support and donations from the local community, Veolia Environmental Trust, the Homity Trust, Asda Foundation, Tesco Groundworks - Bags of Help Scheme, Action for Bevendean Community - Healthy Neighbourhood fund, Sussex Community Trust, Postcode Local Trust and Trust for Developing Communities. Brighton & Hove City Council contributed £7,000 match funding from its play revenue budget.
Exciting new playground with a farm theme
HAGS - a leading manufacturer of outdoor play equipment - won the tender and will provide the exciting new playground. The have created a farm theme, keeping to the area's historical. The new playground will feature a large play tractor, new swings, somersault bars, climbing poles amongst other play equipment and will include landscaping features and seating areas.
View the plans in more detail (PDF 1.6MB)
“We are so excited to finally see this happening and it's a really positive and much needed boost for our local community,” said Jayne Van Rensburg, one of the local mums who started the campaign.
Councillor Gill Mitchell, chair of Brighton & Hove City Council’s Environment Committee added: “I’d like to congratulate members of the Friends of Farm Green on a fantastic community achievement. I’m pleased that we have been able to play our part in helping their dream of creating a new playground become a reality and I look forward to seeing the facility re-open in time for summer.”
Members of the Friends Group are still actively fundraising to continue their work in Bevendean. For more information and to donate: