THE new Dell Play Park has officially opened, realising a vision that local volunteers had nearly a decade ago.

On Wednesday, August 5, dedication and perseverance from volunteer group Friends of the Dell paid off, as the ribbon was cut to welcome eager children and families.

The 2016 community dream was to create an exciting and inclusive play space for local families, and this has grown into a significant community partnership project between Friends of the Dell, Chepstow Town Council and Monmouthshire County Council.

Suzanne Moore-Osley, Co-founder of Friends of The Dell, said: “I have lovely memories of the park from when I was growing up but it had fallen into disrepair and it felt like that place wasn’t there anymore and that something important was slipping away. So we wanted to put it back and create a space where children could come and play, use their imagination and have fun, as we did.”

The project encountered challenges throughout. As it is situated beside Chepstow's historic town walls, the project required not only planning permission, but also archaeological investigations, heritage approvals, environmental surveys, drainage assessments and detailed design work.

Chepstow Town Council supported the project at every key stage of its development, from an early grant of £1,000 in 2017, £4,675 towards planning in 2021 and £8,475 to fund specialist archaeological work in 2022, before making a landmark commitment of £100,000 towards delivering the play park.

The council said it was this backing that demonstrated confidence in the volunteers' vision and helped strengthen the successful National Lottery bid that ultimately brought the project to fruition.

Vicky Burston-Yates, Friends of the Dell member said: “A significant point was winning National Lottery funding in 2018 to put on a family fun day. We filled the Dell with people and it was wonderful to see the community get behind the project; seeing hundreds of people and community groups all come together to enjoy the space really reiterated the purpose and the importance of community space and connection”.

She added: “I’m incredibly proud of us four women who were determined to get this off the ground and determined to see it through. It’s a massive achievement and we want to celebrate that, but we’re not ready to stop! We remain committed to getting the next phase with the slide connecting the park to the castle completed.”

Cllr Vanessa Badderley-Potter, Chepstow Town Mayor said: “We are incredibly proud that Chepstow Town Council has been able to support this project from the beginning, but today the real credit belongs to the Friends of the Dell and everyone who believed this could happen. I hope this play park brings years of adventure, laughter and happy memories to generations of local children and families.”

As families begin to enjoy the new play park for the first time, it stands as a lasting testament to nearly ten years of community effort and to the volunteers whose ambition, resilience and dedication made it possible.