We have written to the National Trust to thank them for the unwitting help they gave us when we pursued our objective of installing a small piece of children’s play equipment in the Devonshire Avenue Nature Area (DANA), so the area is better used. The inspiration for the wooden play equipment came from the NT installation at Box Hill. Our letter explains all and reads as follows:
“Dear National Trust.
In a world of grant applications and “evidencing” everything, we thought you would find the following useful.
The children’s natural play area in Box Hill has been imitated.
We now have similar play equipment in the Devonshire Avenue Nature Area (DANA) in the London Borough of Sutton.
This tiny, one acre reserve is surrounded by blocks of flats. The nearest playground for children is over a mile away. But the nature area is home to the very rare small blue butterfly. There was an inevitable conflict between the conservationists, who wanted no “nasty modern looking stuff that looks like it has come from Disney land” and local families desperate for somewhere to take their children.
We were able to show that the National Trust have achieved that balance at Box Hill. Using your play area as inspiration we were able to work with the locals and the conservationists to achieve a happy compromise.
The result, we hope is a much improved Nature Area, where more children come to play and the precious small blue butterfly is still protected. But most important of all, we now have a chance to educate the visitors about the importance of nature conservation and what to look for in their area.
Thank you for your inspiration.
Cllr Mary Burstow (Sutton Play Champion)
Cllr Heather Honour
Cllr Richard Clifton (Sutton South Ward Councillors)”
