Church community centre puts spring in children's step with new soft playground

Children at a Darlington community centre can play with an extra spring in their step after their playground was resurfaced with special soft flooring.

After being played on for more than 10 years, the playground at The Millennium Centre at Darlington’s All Saints’ Church had become weathered and worn.

So the Rev John Dobson, the vicar at the church, asked Miller Construction, which has been building new teaching blocks for the nearby Carmel RC Technology College, for advice about how best to revive it.

Rather than give him some advice, Miller Construction decided to step in and give the playground a brand new soft play surface.

A little organisation and a day’s work later, children at the centre now have a newly refurbished and usable playground.

Mr Dobson said: “We are currently rebuilding the entire parish church, so without such generous help the play area’s refurbishment would have had to wait until funds became available.”

“Fortunately, after Miller Construction heard about the state of the play area they immediately offered to do the work at no cost to us.”

“Now the children who use the centre can play to their hearts’ content.”

Matthew Naylor, Site Manager, Miller Construction, added: “We have been working with Carmel RC Technology College on the different phases of their new facilities since 2003 and since that time have established great connections with the local community so when John approached us for advice about the state of the playground, we were only to happy to offer some assistance.

"We frequently work with companies who install this specialist play surface, so it wasn’t too difficult to sort something out for The Millennium Centre playground.

“Now that the new surface is in place it’s great for us to be able to see the difference it’s already making to children in the local community.”

Miller Construction has recently completed building three new teaching blocks at at Carmel RC Technology College, complete with state of the art classrooms, a new reception area and a tree-lined walkway giving visitors and students a safer entrance to the school.

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Media Enquiries: For photos or any further information, please contact Chris Marritt at Beattie Communications on 0161 932 1023 or email chris.marritt@beattiegroup.com

Notes to the editor:

Miller Construction is a subsidiary of The Miller Group, the UK’s largest, privately-owned housebuilding, property development, and construction business.