A new pocket park in Weedon will be officially opened next week by the children of the village’s primary school.
Weedon Bec’s Pocket Park will be opened on Thursday June 6, with the ceremony starting at 2.30pm.
Guests will be meeting at the Chapter House, behind the parish church at 2.15pm and then walk to the park which will be situated at the footpath, known locally as Puddlebank, and runs from Bridge Street to Church Street.
They are designed to provide easy access to the countryside and create an enjoyment of rural areas on the doorstep. The idea for the pocket park came from villagers when asked in the Village Vision survey which was conducted back in 2009.
Explaining about the benefits to the village, the pocket park’s chairman, Ray Charlett, said: “Many people when asked about a Pocket Park have thought that it is a children’s play area.
“It is not, there is no play equipment. It is an area for education, conservation and relaxation to be enjoyed by all.”
Funding for the park, which has cost around £23,000 was obtained after a grant from organisations including the National Lottery, Daventry District Housing, Daventry District Council and Weedon Bec Parish Council.
Support for the project has come from the whole community with many volunteers taking part in the development of the Pocket Park.
Attractions in the park include a circular path, pond, benches, bird hide to view the bird tables/feeding boxes located across the river and a wooden bridge over the storm drain. 150 native trees and bushes have been planted to enhance what is already there.
The project is at the beginning of its conservation development and will take three to five years for significant improvements to be seen.