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All-inclusive SEND play area opens to public

A1 Camera Club Mayor of Weston-super-Mare councillor Ciaran Cronnelly with his wife Katherine the MayoressA1 Camera Club
The park was opened by Weston-super-Mare Mayor councillor Ciaran Cronnelly with his wife Katherine
  • A play area designed especially for children who have special educational needs and disabilities has official opened in Worle
  • It is hoped the all inclusive SEND play area in Castle Batch will allow children who have mixed abilities to play together side by side
  • It features a wheelchair swing, a roundabout fit for all and a zip wire

A £400,000 all-inclusive play area that allows children of all abilities to play side-by-side has opened.

The facility in Castle Batch, Worle, North Somerset, has been designed for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

It features a wheelchair swing, a roundabout fit for all and a zip wire.

The specialist equipment stand alongside standard play equipment so that mixed-ability families can enjoy the same space together, Weston-super-Mare town council said.

A1 Camera Club Castle Batch SEND playparkA1 Camera Club
Local families were consulted on what type of equipment they would like to see at the park, with their ideas used to shape the final design

The playground had its official opening on Saturday.

The town council said the new playground "fills a significant gap" in the area as there was previously no park in the town suitable for people with SEND.

Deputy Town Clerk Sarah Pears said: "It's amazing, it is one of the bigger parks in Weston and it really is a flagship for the whole of north Somerset, because there is nothing like it in the district.

"It is colourful, it is bright, it has been designed with SEND tones.

"It will appeal to so many people, not only children with SEND, but their families... people have told us what problems are, and often it is not just about the child with the difficulties it is about them being able to interact with their family and friends and this is what this park will do, it is inclusive to all."

A1 Camera Club Castle Batch SEND playparkA1 Camera Club
The park was officially opened on Saturday

In January, Scope, a charity that campaigns for equality for disabled people, released a report that found almost half of families with SEND children (49%) feel their local playground is not accessible.

More than 31,000 people have signed a petition from the charity calling on the UK government to support accessible play.

One in seven parents said they could not enjoy the playground as a family because siblings could not play together.

Weston-super-Mare town council said this echoed its own research, which led to the creation of the Castle Batch park.

A1 Camera Club Castle Batch SEND playparkA1 Camera Club
The park features a wheelchair swing, a roundabout fit for all and a zip wire.

Funding for the playpark has come from Weston Town Council, National Lottery Community Fund, North Somerset Council, NSC Improving Play Spaces Fund, Big Worle and Tesco.

Councillor Peter Crew said: "As a councillor who has championed the needs of the Worle community for many years, I’m delighted to have played a part of bringing this SEND all-inclusive play park to Worle."

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