Members of the local community are invited along to a celebration event to mark the official opening of a new play area at Hillcrest Field, Southdown, Bath.

The event is being organised by The Children’s Society and the Council on Saturday February 13, between 10.30am and 12.30pm.

The new facilities – which are opening fully in time for half term – provide children and young people with a safe area to play in their own community, and include a pod swing, slide and rope climbing equipment. The area has also been landscaped to provide an improved area for playing sport.

It is already proving popular with local children and their families.

The event will involve a range of fun activities for children and young people, including face-painting and a competition to give the new play area a name. It will also be an opportunity for members of the community to come along and discuss designs for a new covered seating area. People involved in the development of the play area, including local ward councillors, the neighbourhood police team and The Children’s Society will be there listening to the views of as many local residents, including children and young people, as possible.

Local ward Councillors Cllr Paul Crossley and Cllr Dine Romero have also been involved in the project. Cllr Crossley (Liberal Democrat, Southdown) said:

I am delighted with the way the Children’s Society engaged with the community and developed a scheme that suits most needs and most people involved. The children are certainly enjoying the bits that are ready as are the parents who come with them.

Eighteen local play areas have already been revamped across Bath & North East Somerset, providing opportunities for children and young people to play safely in their own communities, and between now and the end of March a further 13 areas will be improved.

For more information about the Play Pathfinder project in Bath & North East Somerset contact pathfinder_enquiries@bathnes.gov.uk. You can also find out more here.