Villagers 'very close' to new play area dream

Residents of a village are on course to fulfil a long-held dream of creating a new play area and community space.

Residents in Stinchcombe, near Dursley, which has a population of around 500, say it needs a safe place for children to play. It also has no shop, school or pub as a meeting point for villagers.

Their fundraising campaign has raised £30,000 - just £2,000 shy of their target.

"We're getting very close," said John Pinch, who has lived in Stinchcombe for 40 years.

Residents have secured a lease on a site owned by St Cyr Church

Stroud District Council has pledged £5,000 if the £32,000 fundraising target is reached by 7 March.

Mr Pinch was approached by a group of parents four years ago to design a playground, which will include swings, a seesaw, an obstacle course and climbing frame.

There are also plans for a flower border, picnic tables and benches so that older people can also meet to enjoy the space.

The project secured a lease on a site owned by St Cyr Church, and planning permission was approved in November last year.

"During Covid we had quite a change in the demographic of the village," Charlie Mcfarlane, chair of the parish council, told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"So we've now got something like 70 or 80 young people, and there's no facility at all for them here, so it's to meet the needs of the village," he said.

Stinchcombe, which has around 500 residents, has a church but no shop, pub or school

Children, parents and grandparents have all been helping to fundraise.

Russ Holloway has lived in Stinchcombe for 60 years.

"We've got good memories of this field being used by children, but in this day and age things are different, they don't wander out independently.

"They need somewhere to go to and it would just give me joy to see it being used by children again, and as a meeting place as well for us older people."