This project is owned and sponsored by North Cerney Parish Council. Local Parish Councillor Jonathan Dryland, who lives in Woodmancote, is the Parish Council's Project Lead. He is working directly with a group of community volunteers who have come together as the Woodmancote Community Group to enable change within our village and deliver this particular project. A detailed project plan has been created and is guiding the delivery of this ambitious project with all relevant milestone decisions being taken through and approved by the Parish Council.
Over the past two years Woodmancote Community Group has grown in energy and strength and has delivered a range of activities involving our community, including regular litter picks, planting and care of mangers at the entrances to the village, and planting daffodil bulbs throughout the village. A recent success was raising funds and donations to purchase a defibrillator, which is now installed in the centre of the village. It is now embarking on its biggest project to date - the refurbishment of the village's 50 year old, poorly designed and equipped playpark that no longer meets the community's needs.
North Cerney Parish Council's current lease of the playpark ends this year and the local landowner has kindly granted a new 999 year lease for our playpark at a peppercorn rent on the understanding that it remains as a children's playpark and community space. This gives us freedom to invest time and money in developing and nurturing a community space that is protected in perpetuity. And so, in September 2023, we held an open meeting with residents on the playpark, followed in January 2024 by a comprehensive paper and online survey of all 250 households in the parish. Over 50% of Woodmancote households completed the survey with 100% of all respondents supporting the playpark's refurbishment into a community space and playpark serving all generations.
