A CHARITABLE trust has made a donation of £75,000 towards Wotton-under-Edge’s skate park project – with hopes of transforming the park into an inclusive community hub for the whole town.


Barnwood Trust has made the match-funding contribution towards Wotton Community Sports Foundation’s ongoing plans towards a safer path and parking area.


The Trust’s donation amounts to half the money needed for each of the two elements of the project
Since the skate park on the New Road site in Wotton was completed in February, a number of complaints appeared around the path passing the site and its proximity to a busy road.


WCSF, the group heading the project has been raising funds to complete a new and safe access path to the park.


Trustee at WCSF Sarah Watt said: “We are enormously grateful to Barnwood Trust for their generosity and their understanding of our vision for the future of the site.


“Working with the community, we can now develop the park into an inclusive and welcoming space for everyone.”


During April and May WCSF shared a series of meetings with local community groups, and representatives of the Barnwood Trust to see how everyone could work together to solve the problems of access and parking to make all these ideas a reality.


Through their 'You’re Welcome' campaign, The Barnwood Trust agreed to grant WCSF the match funding sum of £75,000 for half the construction costs of the safe access path and the increased parking, allowing for a solution to these problems to get underway.


Lawrence Miller, director of housing and community spaces at Barnwood Trust said: “We are excited to be able to invest in a project that is already bringing the community together and will create a really inclusive community space in Wotton.


“Spaces where people are able to meet and pursue activities together make a very positive contribution to people’s health and wellbeing.”


Barnwood Trust is a charitable foundation which aims to create the potential in Gloucestershire for people with disabilities and mental health challenges to make the most of their lives.


An online survey has been set up so that people can have their say on what the space should be used. Have your say at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JX9W3Y8.