Campaigners swing into action to save memorial playground in Bestwood

Campaigners in Bestwood are calling on the community to help them save a playground dedicated to the memory of a local teenager tragically killed in a road accident 18 years ago.

Andy’s Adventure playground was created at Bestwood Country Park in memory of Andrew Maycock, who died in a road accident back in February 2000.

The Bestwood teenager had regularly visited the playground on Bestwood Country Park when alive, but it was later closed because of fears over safety.

Following his death, Andrew’s family and friends decided that it would be a fitting tribute would be to resurrect the playground in his honour.

Following months of fundraising, a new park was created with adventure trail, wobbly bridge and swing bars.

But 16 years later, the playground is again facing the threat of closure.

Certain aspects of the playground have been deemed unsafe, and the play equipment needs replacing, meaning that park users again face the possibility of losing the playground completely.

Now Andrew’s family have teamed up with volunteers at Friends of Bestwood Country Park to launch a fundraising campaign in a bid to revamp the play area.

A crowdfunding page has been started, along with petition to raise awareness about the playground’s plight.

The estimate for replacing the playground is around £50,000.

Campaigners have put in a bid to Nottinghamshire County Council’s Local Improvement Scheme for up to 50% of the total, but don’t know yet if this has been successful.

Friends of Bestwood Country Park have now pledged some of their existing funds to the campaign and are also  donating all net proceeds from their regular Community Cafe, which is held every Saturday morning in the Dynamo House at Bestwood Country Park between 10 am – 1 pm. Cafe customers can also make a cash donation to the campaign while there and see the fundraising progress on the specially designed ‘playground-o-meter’.

Andrew’s mother, Sue, wrote on the campaign crowdfunding page: “The playground is a happy place to go when I want to remember Andrew and all of the lovely times we spent together as a family.

“It is so heart-warming seeing all of the children playing and laughing and creating memories with their own families, and to know that we played such a huge part in making that possible.

“The idea, that all of this might simply be taken away is devastating and I cannot imagine Bestwood Country Park, without Andy’s adventure playground.”

You can make a donation at the crowdfunding page here: https://www.gofundme.com/save-andy039s-adventure-playground

The campaign petition can be found here: https://www.change.org/p/sue-mcdonald-save-andy-s-adventure-playground-at-bestwood-country-park 

You can learn more about the Friends of Bestwood Country Park’s activities at their website: http://www.fbcp.org.uk/