Village rallies round in bid to improve vandalised parks

The community in Pinchbeck is rallying round in a bid to improve the town’s parks which have been the subject of vandalism.

Last week the parish council put out a Facebook post saying that it secured funding for both Rotten Row and Leaveslake Drove Playing Fields as well and adding that it wanted to buy new equipment for Glebe Field.

It’s been seen by more than 5,000 people and sparked the creation of the Pinchbeck Village Park Fundraiser page on the social media site where people are listing their money-making ideas.

It was set up by Emma Creek who was inspired to organise a sponsored bike ride to take place on July 11 after daughter Laycie-Ann raised £422 for Children With Cancer UK by biking 177 miles in April.

A host of others have pledged to raise money for the parks, including one man offering to wax his legs while the first fundraiser, a cake sale, took place just last weekend.

“It started when we decided to do a raffle for the new equipment for Glebe Field and there was a generous donation of plants,” said Emma. “But it was a case of ‘why can’t we put the plants straight into the park?

“We can raise funds for the play equipment, but lets also get things like flower beds or possible picnic benches for the park too.

“It could encourage the children to get involved with the parks and take more pride and care in them.

“Making the parks nicer will also encourage others to get out and use them more.”

Emma is set to organise the sponsored bike ride alongside Lyndsey Bates, Kate Miller and Helen O’Brien and it will include different distances for people of all ages and cycling ability to get involved with.

Meanwhile, the fundraising has already got off to a great start at the weekend when Julie Collins, assisted by Lisa Atkinson, pitched a tent on Herring Lane to sell cakes (pictured left).

They made a total of £447.90, helped by a kind donation of ingredients from Pinchbeck’s Blakemore Retail Spar store.
Plans for a raffle are also continuing and a yard sale is being planned to take place on June 6.

Meanwhile, Dan Smart has come up with the hair raising idea of waxing his legs to help.

He said: “I live in Pinchbeck and have young children who benefited from the old play equipment and were saddened when it was vandalised and then removed.

“For this reason I am all for raising money to help replace it.”