The aging timber trim trail at Dry Drayton C.E Primary School has been replaced with a sustainable long-lasting alternative, thanks to a grant from the County Council.
Supported by £24,000 of council funding, the new trim trail is made from 100% recycled plastic from domestic waste collections. The equipment has a life expectancy of three times the length of timber play equipment while also requiring less maintenance.
As a relatively small village, Dry Drayton doesn’t have a dedicated green space or traditional playground, so for many years the school has made the field and the trim trail available to the whole village community outside of school hours.
The new trim trail will therefore benefit not only the schoolchildren, the on-site pre-school and after-school clubs, but also the wider village and visitors. The schoolchildren helped teachers to carefully choose play equipment that would appeal to, and provide opportunities for, children of all ages.
Dry Drayton’s trim trail is one of 26 community projects across Cambridgeshire awarded funding by the County Council’s Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee. Applicants demonstrated how their project supported the council’s ambitions – creating a greener, fairer and more caring Cambridgeshire.
On Thursday (19 June), Cllr Alison Whelan, chair of the Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee at Cambridgeshire County Council, visited the school to deliver a commemorative funding plaque, meet the school children and see the trim trail in use.
Councillor Whelan said: “It’s brilliant that we were able to provide £24,000 to update the aging timber trim trail here at Dry Drayton School – and it’s been great to see it being so well used on our sunny visit today.
“The new play equipment has been specially selected to provide opportunities for many different kinds of exercise, supporting rounded physical development. Made from 100% recycled plastic, it will last three times as long as the timber alternative, ensuring that the whole Dry Drayton community will continue to enjoy its benefits for many years to come.”
Mrs Sonia Hegan, Headteacher, Dry Drayton C.E Primary School, added: “We now have a series of wonderful, safe, accessible, long-lasting and environmentally friendly pieces of play equipment. The school children's playtimes have been vastly enriched and the community have enjoyed the new facilities outside of school hours, thank you!”
