Welcome to Pitsmoor-on-Sea
Story by Fran Belbin
Photo by Saleema Imam
Children and young people at Pitsmoor Adventure Playground celebrated the start of the school holidays with the grand opening of new kitchen facilities and the launch of a programme of activities with a Pitsmoor-on-Sea theme. The playground promises a summer of fun including seaside trips, beach huts, water and sand play and lashings of ice-cream.
Gill Furniss MP and Tesco manager Tony Hutchings officially opened the new kitchen which was funded by BBC Children in Need and installed by local firm Sheffield Kitchen Outlet, with staff from Tesco using their decorating skills to provide the finishing touches. Gill said:
“This is a fantastic resource right at the heart of the community. The kitchen looks amazing, and the opportunities for play over the summer holidays sound really exciting!”
Playground Manager Patrick Meleady is delighted with the new facilities, saying:
“The open plan kitchen has really transformed our indoor space. It gives us opportunities for new activities with the children, like cooking and baking, and more community events – because everybody loves food, don't they!”
Twelve year old Oliver said, “It’s great! I give it 100 stars!”
There was another surprise visitor to the playground during the Big Lunch barbecue and picnic in June organised with Friends of Burngreave Cemetery. The children were thrilled to meet the Gruffalo!
Playground users have also been busy raising funds by knocking down pins on one of three temporary bowling lanes erected on Fargate for a “Super Bowl” event. Virgin Money donated £1 to the playground for every pin bowled over during the weekend event, raising a total of £5000.