Overview

Sutcliffe Play undertook the revitalisation of a pocket park in the Northamptonshire village of Boughton. Working with the Pocket Park Committee over a number of years, the company designed and installed an inclusive play area which included a wooden climbing frame, wheelchair-accessible roundabout, train-themed toddler equipment, spinners, swings and surfacing.

Context

Boughton is a picturesque rural spot which is home to a small, close-knit community. Its local park features a play area managed by the Pocket Park Committee, a charitable organisation made up of local volunteers. For years, they had envisaged a major upgrade to the play area, which would broaden its play offering and increase its inclusivity. In mid-2025 the local Parish Council agreed to fund the project, and Sutcliffe Play contracted to bring their vision to life.

Work undertaken

Sutcliffe Play began by undertaking a thorough site survey, and finalising a design which fully reflected the group’s ambition. As well as introducing a dynamic range of new equipment to fire the imaginations of toddler and junior-age children, the company was also keen to ensure a very high level of inclusivity in the updated playground, and provide much greater accessibility in its layout and surfacing.

Due to the project’s long gestation period (owing to the uncertainty with funding), Sutcliffe Play collaborated with the Pocket Park Committee over a number of years on its design. The team reworked it at every stage to accord with the latest financial update, and continually sought out more innovative and economically-prudent solutions to problems. Whilst challenging, this was a beneficial and rewarding experience for Sutcliffe Play, and throughout the project it was able to demonstrate its ability to work constructively with partners.

Throughout the design process, Sutcliffe Play knew that all of the existing equipment and benches would remain in place, and its designers worked hard to seamlessly integrate new additions alongside it.

The company also included extensive resurfacing, with rubber mulch providing a safe, stable and durable surface upon which children could play, whilst aesthetically matching the space’s rural surroundings.

Sutcliffe Play also fundamentally restructured the playground’s layout, boosting its accessibility for those with limited mobility, by adding a new self-binding gravel pathway which would connect to the existing park path. This would enable wheelchair or pushchair users to easily access the equipment, without having to traverse the uneven grassland terrain.

As the installation began, the company was joined by a group of pupils from two nearby schools, who explored the space and marked out where the new equipment would be located. This was particularly rewarding for Sutcliffe Play as the children would be some of the most frequent visitors to the playground when it was finished.

During the installation itself, Sutcliffe Play also offered regular updates to the wider community with a progress page on its website, easily accessible from a QR code displayed on-site. This page granted the company an opportunity to explain the work they were doing as they transformed Pocket Park with an array of new equipment.

Products installed

Multiplay unit

The largest and most noticeable installation is the Hazel wooden climbing frame, from Sutcliffe Play's naturalistic Orchard range. With 12 play feature activities for up to 15 users, the unit delivers a huge variety of play value for children aged 4 to 12, include an audio-visual rotating wheel with a friendly snail motif, pair of swivelling binoculars, nature-themed bench seat, inclined drag ramp with climbing nodules, ropes and a transfer deck (enabling access for wheelchair users with a degree of upper body strength), and a stainless steel slide for a quick exit.

Inclusive roundabout

Nearby, an Inclusive Skate Wheelchair Roundabout brings big spinning fun for children with limited mobility, with its in-ground, open design and non-slip decks allowing it to accommodate a centrally positioned wheelchair. Its colour-contrasting edge also acts as a visual indicator for partially-sighted users, further boosting the roundabout’s inclusivity, and it is surrounded by a small amount of wet pour surfacing which makes it smoother and easier to access for those with wheelchairs or pushchairs.

Toddler play equipment

Alongside this, the colourful Train Engine and Carriage HPL units bring character and locomotive-themed charm to Pocket Park, and allow multiple children of young toddler age to enjoy plenty of social interaction and role play fun. They are joined by two colourful and multi-sensory play panels – OXO (Noughts and Crosses) and Rock Paper Scissors. As well as bringing two classic games to the play area, these panels are sure to engage younger children of every ability with co-operative play and many tactile elements.

This section is rounded out with two colourful inclusive springies - Ladybird and Bee - both of which bring bouncing and rocking fun whilst displaying a friendly, colourful HPL design with an insect theme (reflecting the natural surroundings). Both include ergonomic upright rubber handles for excellent grip, and their open-fronted design facilitates easy entry for children with many different accessibility requirements.

Spinners

A little away from the main area of the space, two new spinners deliver another staple play experience, with an Inclusive Dish Roundabout offering an open shape and design which ensures good body support and security for two users, including those with limited mobility. It is also set at an appropriate height for wheelchair side transfer, minimising the lifting required by helpers, and increasing the child’s confidence and independence. Nearby, a second spinner – Hula rotator roundabout – is based around a suspended hoop, and is perfect for testing the balance of two children aged 3 to 14 (but it can also be used alone, if a child prefers to remain solitary).

Swings

As well as replacing four aging seats with two of the Cradle Seats, which hug the child as they swing, and two classic Bumper Seats, which provide a more conventional swinging experience for slightly older children, Sutcliffe Play also added an inclusive Turtle Shell Nest Seat on one of its Modular Frames. This innovative seat features an open bird’s nest design which supports a group of children swinging at once, including those with different kinds of disabilities. Elsewhere, a Big Sky Swing with 3 ‘belt’ style seats allows those with a head for heights aged 7 to 12 to swing around its central bearing hub in a fun carousel style.

Outcome

The reinvigorated neighbourhood play area now affords thrilling play opportunities for children across the age and ability range. This was on full display in July 2025, on the final day of the school term, when Sutcliffe Play joined local schoolchildren, their families and the Pocket Park Committee to officially open the new space.

Testimonial

"Working with the Sutcliffe Play team was a dream. David (Area Sales Manager) was always available to talk to me, and I never felt like anything was a chore. When things went wrong, the team were great with their communication. It was timely, clear and honest. I’ve never felt sold-to, always felt listened-to, and nothing was too much of an issue for both David and Luke (Contracts Manager).

The play area looks great in the park – the accessible kit is perfectly positioned, and the community love how it looks and feels. Since the fabulous opening, the park has never not had people using it, and every time I go up with my own young kids, it’s filled with laughter, light and fun. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve done with Sutcliffe Play."

– Fliss Thistlethwaite, Pocket Park Committee