Save Our Swings Appeal-Funding Completed!

14th February - 2nd June £10.00 - £11400

Update 14th February 2024: 

You’ve probably been wondering on how the SAVE OUR SWINGS fundraising campaign has been going, especially if you have contributed to the appeal since it launched in December.

The absolutely fantastic news is that the funding target for the new swings in the Northwood Park Playground has been reached and we can confirm that the process of getting them ordered is now under way. Hooray we hear you say!

We can’t thank all of those who contributed to the fundraising efforts enough. 44 local people contributed directly to the appeal through this web page and others made donations in buckets and dropped in contributions directly, all in all contributing £1890.10 towards the fundraising total, with donations ranging from £10 to £250.

Of course you will all know that the funding target with significantly higher than this (£11,400) and we are absolutely thrilled that two local businesses have stepped forward to make up the shortfall by providing additional funding to purchase the swings and then to install them at their own costs to meet the required safety standards  for a public playground. This means that we can move forward and get the new swings purchased and installed later in the spring of 2024.

So a huge thank you goes out in particular to Mr Lee Priddle from AMP Hire Ltd, a local Cowes resident and businessman from Ward Avenue for agreeing to fund the balance of the project and to Mr Alan Attrill from Pondacre Partnership (a groundwork contractor based at Pondacre Farm, Newport), a resident of Baring Road, for agreeing to undertake the technical installation works at no cost, helping to reduce the budgeted cost of the project by several thousand pounds.

What’s more, Mr Priddle has agreed to fund a new see-saw for the playground, replacing one that was lost over seven years ago due to vandalism. That’s an amazing gesture and something that’s taken us all here at the charity by complete surprise. Thank you so much Lee.

I’m sure you will agree that this is the best news we could have all hoped for and we can’t wait to confirm a date for installation.

Once again, Northwood House Charitable Trust Company Ltd can’t believe how much support this community appeal has gained and we are humbled by peoples kind generosity. Ever pound donated has contributed to the effort and the future benefits for local families can’t be understated.

We’ll update progress here when we know it and we’ll be in touch directly with people who contributed through this page shortly with personal thanks and to send over Gift Aid forms where they were requested.  Money from Gift Aid will help to pay for the playground safety inspection that the new equipment will require upon installation which is quoted at an additional £700…and something that the Charity will need to find from its own resources.

Kind Regards,

Darren Cool (C.O.O)

 

 

If you have young children or grand-children and live in Cowes, you’ll know only too well how popular the small playground is in Northwood Park as place to take them for some fresh air and recreation. You may also be aware that there have been plenty of sad faces since the summer when children have turned up to play and found that the swings have been taken out of use.

The playground has been in situ for over 40 years and has been under the custodianship of Northwood House Charitable Trust since 2010. The swings are one of the main attractions to be found there and it has been a huge disappointment to many users to find that all four cradles have been taken down. This followed the annual independently conducted safety inspection that the Charity undertakes, which found worsening corrosion in the frame legs making them too unsafe to use.

The quotation for a new replacement set has been recently obtained from the manufacturer but coming in at an eye watering cost of £11,400, it’s not something that the Charity can easily fund out of reserves with other pressing projects taking a priority, including major roof repairs on the main Northwood House building this winter.

So, can you help Northwood House Charitable Trust Company to crowd-fund for a brand new set of swings for local children in 2024?

If so, we’ve launched a new Christmas “Save Our Swings” Appeal to raise funds towards the replacement set of 4 swings, with a hope to get the playground resurrected in time for the early spring when family visits start to increase. Without the swings, the playground really is a much sadder place…so please help if you can!

Darren Cool, C.O.O of Northwood House Charitable Trust Company Ltd. said,
“We’ve had lots of families get in touch since the swings have been taken away asking if we are going to replace them. We were sad to have to take the swings down, but we live in an age where health and safety is paramount and we had no choice but to meet our obligations. The quotes for a new set are twice as much as we expected and it’s just beyond what we can currently afford with our other project commitments this year without some external funding. There are so many local children who will benefit, so we hope people can support us with the Save Our Swings Appeal.”

If you want to donate to the cause, then please use the section at the bottom of this page.

Donations start from just £10, just scroll down to find the amount you would like to give.

Even better, if you are a UK tax payer, we can claim an additional 20% of funding through the Government’s Gift Aid Scheme at no extra cost to you because you’ve made a donation to a registered charity. Just tick the box and we’ll send you a claim form after you’ve made a donation.

Everyone* that donates some money will get their name put on a sign that will be located next to the new swings when they get installed, providing as a long-lasting “thank you” for your generosity.

*Subject to opting into give us permission when you donate.

Future thinking: A new playground for children?

Part of the Charity’s future strategy is to fund raise for a bigger and better playground for Northwood Park, perhaps in the next 2-3 years. We would be interested to hear if anyone in the community who would support such an idea. Don’t worry though, the new swings when we get them would get moved to any new playground facility in the future

Time to donate!

We hope now you’ve read this far that you are a keen support the Save Our Swings Appeal.

If so ..please choose your donation from the options at the bottom of the page, thank you.

Please note, we’ll close the crowd fund as soon as we exceed our fundraising total. In the unlikely scenario that there are any excess funds after the project has been completed, they will be allocated to the next Northwood Park Tree planting programme to be announced in early 2024.

If you would prefer to make a larger donation in person or talk to anyone regarding the campaign, please contact Darren Cool, Chief Operating Officer at Northwood House Charitable Trust Company Ltd.

Telephone: o1983 293642 (office hours)

Email: dj.cool@northwoodhouse.org

This is a crowd funding campaign for:

Northwood House Charitable Trust Co Ltd

The Trustee of Northwood House Charitable Trust – Registered Charity No 276153

Registered Office: Northwood House, Ward Avenue, Cowes, Isle of Wight PO31 8AZ

Registered Charity 1150641 | A Charitable Company: Reg No 8025757 | VAT No 158 5092 89