New play area for Market Overton opened during village's Feast day

High Sheriff of Rutland Dr Sarah Furness opens the new play area at Market Overton during the village's Feast Day
Photo: David Thomas — High Sheriff of Rutland Dr Sarah Furness opens the new play area at Market Overton during the village's Feast Day Photo: David Thomas

Villagers, visitors and sponsors of the new play area gathered to celebrate its opening.

The High Sherriff of Rutland Dr Sarah Furness gave a speech praising the Market Overton Play Area Association, for all its hard work in raising more than £32,000 for the new play area at its new site The Lodge Trust.

She said play areas were a “God send” to parents and carers –providing a great space “where children can have fun, run around, meet other children and let off steam”.

She praised how the new play area “has been designed to cater for most needs and to be as inclusive as possible” and she congratulated the Lodge Trust for sharing trheir grounds with the community.

The opening took place on Saturday, at the end of a busy day of Feast activities in the village, including a street fair and children’s entertainment from Mr Marvel to old fashioned games. The coconut shy and tin can alley both proved to be big hits by the adults and children alike.

There were nearly 30 scarecrows adorning gardens across the village, all themed ‘out of this world’.

Doctor Who and the Daleks were on display, as well as a number of spacemen, aliens, and other popular sci-fi characters such as Spock and ET!

The rain during the day didn’t dampen any spirits and the sun came out for the opening of the play area, meaning the children were able to try out the new equipment.

During the official ribbon cutting, Lisa Barnett and Claire Munt, co-chairmans of the play area association, gave their thanks to everyone who supported the new play area – Playscape Playgrounds, the sponsors and all those who donated money or time.

Sponsors were Comic Relief, The Market Overton Trading Estate, The Cory Trust, The Rotary Club of Rutland, The Leicestershire and Rutland Freemasons, Percy Martin Machine Tools, Rutland Grants, The Rutland Trust, Market Overton Burns Night Committee and Market Overton Parish Council, The Market Store, Hart Hambleton Ltd, Lands’ End, and Phillip Walker Engineering.