Mayor of Chesham Lowndes Park Play Equipment

Please note that during my year as mayor, I will be supporting multiple charities. Love Lowndes are my primary charity. I will also be supporting the Royal British Legion, Caracol Youth Community Development, a Chesham-based charity operating in Belize, and Lennox Children's Cancer Fund. At the end of my term in May 2024, Love Lowndes will receive 50% of proceeds and the other 50% will be divided among the other three charities.

Love Lowndes - Our Fundraiser for New Play Areas Equipment for the Children of Chesham

In my capacity as councillor, Lowndes Park is situated in my ward, St Mary’s, and as someone who tends to visit the park on a regular basis, I have engaged in many conversations, weekend after weekend, with parents who are extremely frustrated with the state of the play equipment in the park. Eventually, this led me to raise the issue at the Town Council. After some deliberation, fellow members quickly and kindly agreed that the play areas should become one of the Town Council’s major priorities, and we set aside an initial sum of £35,000 for new play equipment, far short of the £150,000 needed.

With our limited town council budget, we knew we’d have to fundraise, and as good fortune would have it, our local parents don’t just complain, they are willing to roll up their sleeves.

Love Lowndes, which is led by local parents, was set up by Friends of Lowndes Park with the support of Chesham Town Council, to help raise funds to pay for a new play area equipment for the children of Chesham, for which we are grateful. I have now set up a GoFundMe page for those of you who would like to support my personal fundraising efforts as Mayor.

The very beauty, serenity and green open spaces that Lowndes Park provides right next to St Mary’s Way might be enough for many adults enjoying leisurely walks, but if you are a child, the play areas in Lowndes park are extremely underwhelming.

Additionally, many local parents have highlighted to me that on a routine basis, they find themselves going to other towns such as Watford or Odds Farm in Wycombe and even Amersham … ahem, to take their children to enjoy those parks with better quality play equipment.

This is not just bad for our local economy in Chesham, it also means that children of lesser means, whose parents cannot afford to take them to better parks in other towns are being further disadvantaged.

It also means Destination Chesham requires a central park that attracts not just local parents in Chesham, but also parents from far and wide.

Giving our children the best play equipment in Lowndes Park attract visitors who will help boost our local economy, which will help make my vision of ‘Destination Chesham’ a reality.

Looking forward to receiving your support for my charities. I will be visiting local businesses on the High Street as well, so please feel free to get in touch with me.