A brand-new children's play area has opened in Peasedown St John.

After a long campaign to raise the £12,000 needed to fund the project, the new play experience was opened last Saturday at the village's Hive Community Centre.

Jill Souter, a member of the management team, said:

"Thanks to everyone who has supported the creation of our new children's indoor soft play area, particularly our sponsors.

Last Saturday, six-year-old Oscar Chun was given the honour of officially opening the new facility at a busy celebratory event.

The accessible space has a Hive-shaped Wendy House, see-saw and roundabout for children to play on, with a bubble tube, buttons to push, and handles to turn.

The play area was swarming with children all day on Saturday and their verdict – 'It's really, really good and I playing lots of fun.'"

The Hive Management Team worked closely with Bob Hills from Bonkers Play to design the equipment so that children of all abilities can access it and play together with their friends. The play area also features stair-lift access.

The £12,000 needed to fund the project was raised thanks to grants from:

Curo

Peasedown Party in the Park

The National Lottery Community Fund

Quartet Community Foundation

Cllr Karen Walker's Empowerment Fund

Somerset Freemasons

Peasedown Parish Council

The play area is aimed at under 8s and will be free to use Monday - Friday in term time from 9-11am and 2-3pm. Bookable sessions are available in term time from 11am -2pm or school holidays, 9-3pm. The cost is £1 per child (50p concessions) for 30mins.

There will also be a special, free, bookable quiet session on Thursdays 4-5pm for children up to age 11 with additional needs and their siblings.

The Hive Community Centre (located next to Peasedown St John Primary School on Bath Road, BA2 8DH) has rooms available for hire including three meeting rooms, a large art room, a sports hall large enough for badminton, and an outside sport's court. It is an ideal venue for children's parties.

For full details and to book a play session visit the Hive website at www.thehivepsj.org or call 01761 360021