A multi-use sports area for village youngsters could be built in Great Somerford thanks to a donation from housebuilder Stonewood Partnerships.
The builder has contributed £5,000 to the Great Somerford Community Fund and will be used to pay for preliminary work on a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) once a site has been decided on.
Trust chairman Christopher Blount said: “The very generous offer by Stonewood Partnerships will allow us to do some initial surveying and draw up detailed plans once the site has been agreed. We are very grateful because we would not have the funds to do this otherwise.”
The community fund has been working with Great Somerford Parish Council to explore potential sites and scope out plans and suitable equipment.
The community fund was set up in 2019 to provide a recreation area for the village. “To show evidence of community support for grant funding, money also needed to be raised from residents of the parish but, as donations to the parish council do not attract Gift Aid, it was decided to set up a small charity,” said Mr Blount.
“The donation from Stonewood Partnerships is very much appreciated in helping us establish this much needed recreation ground for the growing number of teenagers moving to the village.”
Stonewood has been on site in Great Somerford since the end of 2019 and is now completing the final dwellings on its 38-home Somerbrook development, which has won several design awards. There are just a handful of homes still available.
Operations Director Gavin Calthrop said: “One of our fundamental principles is to work closely with the communities where we build, we feel strongly that we should become part of that community.
“That’s why we have been so pleased to contribute to the community fund. It’s all about leaving a legacy and we feel we have done that by providing much-needed homes in the village that have brought more pupils to the school and more customers for local businesses. Assisting the village in developing a MUGA that will make a significant contribution to village life is just another part of that.”
