Mersham
Playing Field Meets Young Nature Detectives
Mersham Junior Playing Field currently nestles tiredly near
the village centre, but all that is set to change as Mersham Parish
Council is about to rejuvenate the area with a range of new play equipment
that blends with the natural surroundings whilst creating pockets of
wilderness for the abounding local wildlife.
Local children, from
Mersham
Primary School
, have been involved with the regeneration project. Children surveyed the
site, with local ecologist Martin Newcombe and KSCP, for existing wildlife
including birds, bugs, mammals and plants. Their findings have been
combined to create colourful and inventive wildlife designs that will
encourage more living nature onto the playing field. Year 6 student Phoebe
Balfour said, “It was fun, especially when we had to search for evidence
of a deer, weasel and badger…” Their teacher, Miss Hughes expressed,
“It was a great opportunity for the children to study habitats in a
real-life situation, and think about how we can improve the provision for
local wildlife.”
Mersham PC has worked with Ashford Borough Council and Rail
Link Countryside Initiative funding to carry out the project.
