PARENTS aiming to make improvements to a play area in Southill are driving the project forward and are hoping to raise enough money to get their project off the ground.

Southill Play Area Recreation for Kids (SPARK) is a community project launched by mums, Helen Lainsbury and Sarah Polkinghorne in 2011, who felt the park should be given a new lease of life.

With the support of Labour candidate Pete Barrow, the group are aiming to develop plans for an exciting play area for a range of ages and abilities by the end of the summer.

To kickstart the funds Pete is taking part in this year's charity cycle ride from Land's End to John O'Groats.

The cycle is a 14 day challenge that will see him travel approximately 1,000 miles and takes place during the first two weeks of August.

Pete, from Southill said: "The shortest day is 56 miles and the longest day is 82 miles. There is going to be five really tough days and three are them are the first three in the cycle.

"It will be fantastic and I will get to see a lot of the country that you wouldn't usually see.

"I will be training every weekend in the run-up to it and if I feel like its torture I will know I need to train harder.

"SPARK is still in the process of being a registered charity and I am hoping to get it sorted as soon as possible so I can set up a donations page.

"The amount of people you can reach online for donations is much greater than the old fashioned way of handing out forms.

"I hoping to make a significant difference with this. If we raised £10,000 I would be really really pleased.

"Then we can show we are serious about SPARK and hopefully get some grant funding.

"I think the improvements to the park could cost as much as a quarter of a million pounds."

All proceeds raised by Pete will be split between SPARK and Cancer Research, two charities very close to Pete's heart.

In the groups ambitions to drive the project forward, SPARK are hoping to get Southill Primary School and the youth group more involved with their efforts and have the children help to plan the park.

A SPARK meeting in March saw ten-year-old Nia Bywater, from Southill Primary School win their logo competition.

Pete said: "Radipole Park is really popular and I think, with the number of children we have living on our estate, Southill Park could be made into something that decent and popular too and something that can be enjoyed by the whole community."

CONTACT ME:

t: 01305 830985

e: meghan,hindley@dorsetecho.co.uk

twitter: @DorsetEchoMeg