JCB Delivers £58,000 Playground Makeover For Local Children

JCB and a group of employees have dug deep to help transform a village playground where the company has its World Headquarters.

The Rocester-based digger giant funded, project-managed and carried out work on a new JCB themed playground in High Street, Rocester - completing the entire makeover in just nine weeks.

The playground was officially opened by JCB Chairman Lord Bamford along with project leader David Wheeldon’s six-year-old daughter Amelia, who helped cut the ribbon on the new £58,000 park.

The striking new JCB yellow and black themed recreation area features slides, swings, climbing frames and a roundabout, refurbishing decades-old facilities which local parents said had seen better days. New sit-on springers, face-in-the-hole diggers and talking tubes have also been added.

At the opening, Lord Bamford said:

“This playground is a wonderful facility. It shows that marvellous things can be achieved when the community and our company come together. You have all created something very special for the community and you should all be very proud of your efforts.”

He paid tribute to the JCB Site Services team, including Tim Needham, Mark James and Dan Thomas as well as employees from JCB’s Wardlow Quarry who volunteered their own time to bring the project to fruition. JCB supplier Mark Wareham’s AMW Services, Rocester Parish Council and nearby Cedar Nursery were also praised for their involvement and support.

For JCB Site Services Mechanical Group Leader David, of Meir Park, Stoke-on-Trent, the project has special meaning. He said:

“My dad, Terry, grew up in Rocester and remembers playing there when it was just wooden play equipment so it felt important to give something back. I also have two young children and I know that if they had a playground like this and lived in the village they would be visiting every weekend."

“Transforming the playground has been a very special project for everyone. I’ve worked at JCB for 15 years and it’s been one of the best things I have been involved in because it’s been a real team effort. None of this would have been possible without the support of many, many people.”

And not content with project managing the new venue for local families, David is keen to ensure it is maintained for the future, by arranging for JCB apprentices to do an annual maintenance check on the site.

Photo: Pictured at the opening of the new Rocester village playground are, left to right, Thea (5) of Dove Academy, Rocester, JCB Chairman Lord Bamford, JCB Project Leader David Wheeldon and daughter Amelia (6) of Saint Filumena’s, Caverswall, Riley (10) and Bobby (10) both of Ryecroft Middle School, Rocester and Demi (5) of Dove Academy, Rocester.