Rousay school play park 2024 redesign and update

Hello, thanks for looking at our fundraiser.

Over the last few months RPC have been working hard to secure funding and get quotes for the installation of a new park at the school, which has been very dilapidated and often off limits to the children for some time. This has been very much an uphill struggle.

Recently however, we have been given the opportunity to be part of a bulk install of playparks across Orkney, in a collaboration between OIC and Scotplay, the equipment supplier. This was offered earlier in October 2024 and is due to occur in February 2025. As a result, we have been asked, at extremely short notice, to pull together funding as per our application to OIC in 2023. In order to be able to take advantage of this bulk installation, we need to be in a position to put in an equipment order by no later than 13th November 2024, by which point we need to have sufficient funding agreed, to cover the cost of the equipment, delivery and installation. The quote from Scotplay for this work is in the region of £50,000. In addition to this there will be further costs for the repair of gates and the disposal of the materials from the old play equipment, which we intend to source locally. Overall, we are looking at an estimated total figure in the region of £51,000-£53,000.

There is up to £25,000 match funding available from OIC. Therefore, if we can raise another £25,000, by early November, we will definitely be able to go ahead and order the play park and take advantage of the offer of February installation. If we miss the 13th November order deadline, then it will likely be at least another year before we can get a new play park at the school. We are hopeful to be awarded £7,500 each from REWDT and REWGCC, we also have £2,500 of our own funds to put towards the park, which is a stipulation of the award from OIC. Therefore, currently we have a likely total of £17,500 (£35,000 with OIC match funding). We have also put in applications with other funding bodies (Lottery and Scottish Sea Farms), but we do not know if we will find out the outcomes of these in time for putting the order in.

The new playpark has been designed with input from the local children and new equipment will come with a 20-year guarantee and will require minimal maintenance. Equipment has been chosen to suit a range of ages and abilities and is designed to be as inclusive as possible. All nursery and primary age children on the islands will have regular access to the playpark. Younger and older children and those visiting friends and families will also have access to the park outside of school hours and during the regular community events that are held at the school. The playpark will be suitable for children up to 14 years old.

This is an excellent opportunity to provide a top-quality playpark for the school and the island at large, particularly those without easy access to Brinian playpark. If we are unable to take advantage of the February bulk installation, then it will likely be at least another year before we will have a similar opportunity, by which time costs are likely to have once again increased. Therefore, we are extremely keen to take advantage of this excellent opportunity while we have the chance. We hope that you feel that this is a worthwhile cause and that you are willing to support us.