Wicksteed Park £2m play project has fairytale ending as new equipment unveiled in Kettering

A Jack and the Beanstalk-themed climbing frame, designed by an 11-year-old schoolgirl, has been unveiled at Wicksteed Park marking the completion of their @play heritage project.

The equipment’s launch marked the finale of the £2,089,800 project, which was backed by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Competition winner Mia Opoku Agyeman, from Northampton, cut the ribbon on the new playground attraction manufactured by Kettering-based Wicksteed Leisure Ltd.

Mia was helped by VIP guests including the mayor of Kettering, Cllr Emily Fedorowycz, Wicky Bear and the MP for Kettering, Philip Hollobone.

After she had slid down the beanstalk Mia said: “It’s even better than I expected. It’s really quick – I really enjoyed it.”

Mia said she got the idea because she had always wanted to play on a climbing frame that was made to look like a beanstalk.

She added: “I thought it would be good to have an exciting slide attached to it from which the children can slide down swiftly after the hard work of climbing up.”

The beanstalk, that also booms out ‘fee-fi-fo-fum’, has been made with the help of funding from North Northamptonshire Council and has now been installed at the park for Mia and other children to enjoy.

The @play project has led to the creation of, with the help of Wicksteed Leisure, a free heritage playground featuring ten pieces of historic play equipment, including the recovery and refurbishment of what is believed to be the world’s oldest playground swing, made a century ago.

It also contains a Wicksteed rocking horse dating back 80 years as well as reconstructions of a 1921 slide.

The grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund has also helped to fund the restoration of the Garden Room tearoom, which offers sweeping views across the park from the top of the park’s famous Edwardian-style Pavilion. The pavilion fountain has been restored to its former glory, and seven traditional telescopes have also been installed, pointing at key parts of the 147-acre park.

The project has also included the launch of a sustainable volunteering programme to help with the park’s upkeep and restoration and a host of activities for the community.

Oliver Wicksteed, chairman of the Wicksteed Charitable Trust which owns the park, said: “We are incredibly grateful that The National Lottery Heritage Fund understands the importance of the park and its heritage and backed us in this way, helping to make the @play project a fantastic success.

“The grant funding, made possible thanks to National Lottery players, highlighted just how important ongoing financial support, coupled with fundraising and donations form the local community, is to help secure the long-term future of the park.

“We have been able to get more people involved with the park as well as giving them the chance to learn about the exciting heritage right on their doorstep.

“The @play project has promoted increased community use and involvement and provided great facilities and activities, many of which the public can access for free and we are incredibly grateful for the support we have received from The National Lottery Heritage Lottery Fund, to help us achieve this.”

A digital archive (archive.wicksteedpark.org) has also been launched, which contains historical photos, plans and memorabilia tracing the story of Charles Wicksteed.

Lynne Egginton, national sales manager for Wicksteed Leisure Ltd, said: “The whole team here were hugely impressed with Mia’s imaginative design and the story behind it.

“Our challenge was turning it into a reality and providing an exciting, fun and safe experience for children of all ages to enjoy.

“We are really pleased with how it has turned out and we hope it meets Mia’s expectations. It has been a joy to collaborate with such a talented young lady and the Wicksteed Park team to bring this concept through to reality.”

Liz Shaw, from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, added: “Engaging young people is vital in securing the future of our heritage, and it’s thanks to National Lottery players that we're able to support important projects such as this one, ensuring that heritage projects represent and reflect local voices from the community, and that their ideas are heard across the heritage landscape."