…discussing which play equipment we’d like to buy for Grace’s Playground, when cooperative member Alan Hessell shot his hand up. “The basket swing is my favourite!” said Alan, to the amusement of the assembled group – and that, of course, swung the vote. A year and more later, here we are, with Alan (aged 77 and 9/10ths) testing out the new basket swing we bought. “It used to be a bigger basket, and you could lie on it with your grandchildren – or your wife,” says Alan, explaining himself. “I just said it was my favourite and I was going to say …place to take the grandchildren and then there was uproar and I didn’t get to say it!” Sometimes, after our own capital projects, we have surplus funds to donate to causes in the village and our members agreed to buy the new swing for £6,720. We can’t donate every year, but it is wonderful to add to Grace’s Playground, named after a little girl who died in 2008 and who loved this special play area. We hope that all youngsters, from seven to 77, will get a lift out of the new swing!
