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Work begins on UK’s first-of-its-kind Fair Play playground

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Key stakeholders examine the plans for the new Fair Play Barnet playground at the spot where it will be built.

Key stakeholders examine the plans for the new Fair Play Barnet playground at the spot where it will be built.

Barnet Council has today (Monday 9 October) begun work on a £500,000 first-of-its-kind playground for children and adults with disabilities.

The design includes equipment that: rocks, swings, spins, involves sound, climbing and slides, touch and sitting. The new Fair Play Barnet play area will be built in Victoria Recreation Ground, New Barnet, next to the existing playground.

The work will be funded with £100,000 from Barnet Council, and the remaining £400k will come from a group of independent funders spearheaded by The Seneca Trust, a humanitarian charity that focuses on supporting overlooked life-enhancing projects.

Cllr Philip Cohen, who secured the £100,000, said: “Fair Play Barnet is for children and adults, and we’re very proud to be making milestones with our work in this area. We have considered all aspects of this playground to make it accessible and inclusive for everyone. This covers everything from the surfacing, accessible equipment, communications boards for non-verbal users, to picnic benches with designated wheelchairs spaces, so everybody is included.”

Cllr Alan Schneiderman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said: “We want everybody to feel welcome in Barnet, whoever they are. Our innovative work with our partners on the ‘Fair Play Barnet’ project is a key part of this. We hope that many people can enjoy the brilliant new playground in Victoria Recreation Ground for many years to come.”

Commenting on the project, Seneca Programmes Manager Deborah Gundle said: “We celebrate Barnet Council’s vision for wanting to make it possible for people of all cognitive and physical abilities to be able to use their public playgrounds. Fair Play will be a shining example in terms of design and purpose of how a public playground can be inclusive and accessible to all.”