THE opening ceremony of the Sutcombe Community Playing Field was held on Saturday, April 7.

The official ribbon cutting was carried out by leader of Torridge District Council (TDC) Cllr Jane Whittaker and Peter Soper, member of the community development team at TDC, ably assisted by local girl Chloe Furse.

The project to provide Sutcombe with a play area was first suggested at a parish council meeting a few years ago.

A ‘community playing field’ committee was set up and chair Claire Furse said she was very grateful to her team of volunteers who have helped her throughout the project — at times even battling snow — to ensure the playing field was ready for the children of the village to enjoy.

It is hoped that the new play area will be enjoyed by the young people of the village for years to come.

Claire said: “Firstly a big thank you to my committee who have all worked very hard (braving the snow even) to get the playing field ready for today. We are all volunteers, here to improve the facilities for our children and grandchildren.”

However, although the play area is complete the committee still has more they want to add, including a memorial bench for a young girl who passed away on January 15, 2017 from a brain stem tumour.

Claire said: “Our work continues and we will be adding better football goals this spring, and a bench to remember Chloe Martyn who was a pupil at Sutcombe School.

“Later in the year we plan to hold a summer barbecue and football event on July 7, so we are aiming to fundraise to add a swing set and improve facilities here.”

Thanks were expressed to those who provided the committee with support and grant funding, including Torridge District Council, who provided £10,000 from the New Homes Bonus Grant scheme, which paid for the first piece of equipment and kick-started the project.

Thanks also went to; parish council, Friends of Sutcombe School, Balsdon Trust, Waitrose tokens scheme, Devon County councillor Barry Parsons, Watkins Farms and to everyone who supported the committee in any way, by coming to the fundraising events, donating prizes and cakes or their time to the playing field.

Special thanks went to John, Becky and Ant of Art Brew, micro-brewery in the village, who donated money from some of their brewery events to the playing field pro­ject. John and Becky’s daughter Tia also raised £100 with sponsorship all by herself.

Claire added: “I hope the playing field will be enjoyed by all ages, and will be a place where many happy memories are made for the children and families of the village.”

The playing field is now open but unfortunately the wooden trim trail will be out of bounds until repair work is completed. The committee hopes to carry out maintenance this spring, including the addition of football goals.

Thanks were expressed to everyone who supported and enjoyed the bingo event in November, it was said to be an enormous success with over £500 raised towards the purchase of the goal posts and other items this spring.