Kids keep Lindfield swing moving for six hours to raise £1,700 for new playground equipment

The ‘Swingathon’ fundraiser took place on Sunday, July 12, (10am to 4pm) at Lindfield Common Play Area.

Friends of Lindfield Playgrounds group chair William Kremer said 55 children took part in the challenge.

People can still donate to the GoFundMe page at www.gofundme.com/f/lindfields-swingathon-for-new-swings.

William said on Sunday: “It’s been a perfect summer’s day of fun and games and so lovely to see the community coming together around this cause. The children worked really hard all through the heat of the day to keep the swing moving. We’re now well on our way to installing a mega-swing, which will be much more fun for older children in the village. It’s still not too late to donate either!”

The fundraising page, which was started by William, said Lindfield needs new swings so Friends of Lindfield Playgrounds CIC (Charity number 1212457) asked the village’s children to help raise money by keeping one swing airborne for six hours. The event also featured crafts, toys and snacks.

The GoFundMe page said the cost of the mega-swing (including VAT and installation) is about £10,000. The page said: “We're asking Lindfield residents and local business-owners to give generously to this cause, to raise the level of fun and adrenaline in Lindfield.”

The fundraiser actually made more than £750 before the event took place and made a lot more on Sunday through cake sales and sponsorship.

William Kremer also gathered comments from parents and children who came along.

Genevieve Jameson, mother to Cece and Juno, said: “I would really like there to be massive improvements in this wonderful park that we have.”

Mid Sussex District Councillor Cavan Wood (Lindfield ward) called the day ‘a fantastic community initiative’ to raise money for playground improvements. He said: “My long-term hope, which I support with Friends of Lindfield Playgrounds, is that we make sure that they (the playgrounds) are inclusive, so that every child has access to play equipment and finds them stimulating and helpful to their development.”

Chloe, 11, said she likes all the different activities the playground offers but said the equipment is ‘quite old’. She said: “They’re all becoming more rusty and things are breaking, so it gets annoying.”

Alice, 11, added: “They’re all super fun, but, like Chloe said, some are rusty and just squeaky, and they need replacing.”

Beaula, 11, said she would love to see a zipline and more swings in the playground.