News
Volunteers work party from the Movement for Good charity.
2024 Bournstream Spring Newsletter
Welcome to the new season - Bournstream play site opens again from Saturday, 16th March & stays open until the end of November.
Please take the time to read through this short but important information - to hear of some changes but also reminders & the new season gate code!
As you know, we rely on all our members to help take care of the play site (as we are not staffed) - to treat it and others with respect as a valued resource, supported by others financial generosity & loads of volunteer time behind the scenes.Do remember, as set out on our "home" page, that we ask families to seek alternative provision once your child turns 18.
In the winter break there was a serious car accident along the lay-by which heightens awareness of that fast road & the need to keep safe by parking within our boundaries & closing gates behind you.
- Please only come to the play site as one car-load.
- Bournstream will now be closed for use every Monday - for safety & maintenance reasons. No other restrictions apply to days or times.
- We do allow small, special school or support groups by arrangement but no other groups or parties.
- Take all your rubbish away & help tidy up before you go. Too often our volunteers find the mess & stuff left out in the rain etc which is not fair.
- Use our contact e-mail to report any concerns or damage we need to know about for safety.
- Always give others the space and respect they need in using the play site alongside you.
- Notify us if your e-mail address changes - or you cannot be contacted!
Thanks for reading through, so many folk give in different ways to keep it all going - but we rely on you all as users to do your bit too please.
The GATE CODE for the 2024 season is 1337 - for the road gate, inner gate & toilet. Please always lock them immediately behind you & never leave them open for others.
Hoping the play and picnic site continues to be a special place of play, relaxation & time together.
The Bournstream Trust Committee, 2024
"It's been such an amazing place to enjoy as a family - without the usual stress."
Lottie
Special THANKS must go to all our volunteers as well as to so many loyal groups & supporters:
- Wotton Lions Club, & Geoff Richardson, for major repairs on site over the winter.
- Rotary Club of Dursley, & Graham Peake, for new deckchairs & bean bags.
- Community Men's Shed for bird nest boxes.
Both Renishaw plc & The Barnwood Trust continue to provide us with essential grants to maintain & enhance the play site as do The 1970 Trust, London, & the Edith Strain Nursing Trust, Wotton.
This season we extend special thanks to the Gloucestershire Freemasons, Lodge of Grace, Wotton, for their generous fundraising donation to our project.
We also thank Steve Wytchard for outdoor paints & Ian Pullen for bark & play sand.
So many people give, in different ways, to support us & we thank them all for their help, money & encouragement!
FINALLY..
Sending our best wishes & hope you can come and play again together soon, from all of us at Bournstream ps. bring your own sunshine!
"Bournstream enable us to spend time together outside, where my son and daughter are happiest - and we can meet other families who are in a similar position."
Kelly & family
Some useful Reminders
Following a serious road accident near the lay-by we need to remind everyone using the play site to always park inside the main gate, in our car park, for safety.
Bournstream continues to flourish - with amazing support & lots of demand - but we do sometimes need to give everyone some important reminders!
Over safety, we have created a bit more safe parking inside our boundary - please always come in to park there - & be really careful if turning right on to the main road when leaving.
Our numbered padlocks cost £17 each - so please look after them & ensure they don't get played with or dropped. (for adult use only there are always some spare padlocks up behind the toilet house door, to replace a broken one for safety please.) Every season it takes time & money to sort out odd bits of damage (or stuff going missing ) - so we would rather everyone was honest enough to let us know, then it's not so horrid for others arriving to find things wrong.
Bournstream runs entirely on donations so we need to spend wisely & make it go further!
Supervising all those children in your care includes you opening the toilet house & supervising there too.
Special school groups & parties are also given these notes to abide by - sorry to sound fussy but we really do need everyone's help.
Always close & lock the gates behind you straight away & report any problems over padlocks.
Take your rubbish away with you & leave things tidy & the vehicles under cover please.
"It was lovely to see all the improvements that have been made to the playground since we have last visited, and how much the trees, planted in memory of Ben, have grown. It is still an amazing place, thanks to all your hard work and dedication, and we are sure Barbara Saxton would be so proud to see it as it is today."
New season THANKS
Every season at Bournstream we must thank a wide variety of local groups, individual donors & loyal supporters for their contributions - in every way imaginable - in donating their time, skills & money.
Many people champion the play site with their fundraising or recommend it to their company or friends to donate to.
But of course lots of people give to us in very different ways.. ..from the Cotswold Wardens laying hedges, the Round Tablers planting trees, to the Scouts shifting 2 tonnes of play sand, a Dad fixing the road gate with his welding or the joining volunteers showing new families over.
Our team of volunteers welcome new members, coordinate the day-to-day running, give talks, raise money,cut hedges, mend vehicles, do odd jobs & ensure hundreds of children each year have somewhere unique to come & play! All this helps the play site to continue to provide the "safe adventure" it has always hoped to give to children & young people.
"I would like to thank you all for the many wonderful hours we have spent at Bournstream this year. No matter how many times we visit, or how long we stay, my daughter is never ready to leave!"
Brochure
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"There is a great spirit of giving of time and energy with everyone."
"My younger brother has a few disabilities that are not physical and people will often just tar him with the same brush as a child that is just rude and misbehaved.
It is so nice & relaxing to see him able to play & socialise with other children & also sit in the company of adults that see the real him & do not judge him for his behaviour.
My little brother has found great pleasure whilst playing at Bournstream, to see him so relaxed & at ease is a joyful thing in a world where so many people do not understand - & I greatly thank you all for that."
Leanne writing in 2013 to the Bournstream committee.
The Gallery
I find it very difficult to go to local parks or playgrounds with the boys when I'm on my own.
I was overjoyed at finding at finding Bournstream to be able to take them out - they now have somewhere special to go & all the children can be themselves.
