Current access to the croquet lawns in Lammas Park is in a very poor state of repair and becoming increasingly unsafe to use, particularly for participants with low mobility and disability. Patio areas and steps are uneven, broken and steep, with no handrails to help provide stability. There is no step-free access at all to some areas. We want to be able to continue to operate safely and expand our programme of croquet, aimed at getting members of the community more active particularly those with low mobility and access needs, by making moving around the site safer for all our members and community users alike. During 2022 we expanded our community activities with 461 additional sessions for participants from the local community to take part in croquet at the site plus growth in our membership to 79. During 2023 we are looking to expand this further to reach a total target of over 660 participants in the year.

What we'll deliver:

• Repair uneven and broken patio area at lawn 3
• Re-lay new steps between lawns 2 and 3 adding handrail
• Infill gullies to create new step-free access

Why it's a great idea:

Croquet is one of the few active outdoor activities older people and those with reduced mobility or learning disability can enjoy safely, bringing significant benefits to their overall wellbeing and fitness, as part of a healthy active lifestyle. Croquet is also particularly suitable for groups of mixed ability, allowing families and friends of all ages to play together in a healthy fun outdoor activity. This year we introduced regular public Pay & Play sessions which ran throughout the summer and have been popular especially with multi-generational family groups and young adults. The club also delivers a wide range of community activities with various groups and charity partners, and this improvement work will allow us to expand this programme to even more disadvantaged groups, with a particular focus on those in the community who are less active.

Steps to get it done:

• January 2023: Building Contractor commissioned
• February 2023: Work on site started
• March 2023: Work on site completed

The club is run and managed by volunteers from our membership who plan, organise and supervise play for all our community activities and events.