25 Mar Mia’s Giant Idea Grows Into A Reality as The Heritage Fund Supports “World First”

A Jack and the Beanstalk climbing frame, designed by an 11-year-old girl and the only one of its kind in the world, has been unveiled at a park known as the home of children’s play.

The new playground attraction at Wicksteed Park, Kettering, is already proving popular with local children, who played on it for the first time today (Sunday, March 24).

The launch event also marked the completion of the park’s @play heritage project, which was supported by a grant of £2,089,800  from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The new climbing frame was designed by Mia Opoku Agyeman from Northampton as part of a competition organised as part of the @play project.

It was manufactured by Kettering-based Wicksteed Leisure Ltd, with the help of funding from North Northamptonshire Council, and has now been installed at the park for Mia and other children to enjoy.

Mia said she got the idea because she had always wanted to play on a climbing frame that was made to look like a beanstalk.

She added: “I thought it would be good to have an exciting slide attached to it from which the children can slide down swiftly after the hard work of climbing up.”

Wicksteed Park was opened in 1921 by Charles Wicksteed, the creator of swings and slides as we know them today, who had a vision to inspire and encourage play as part of families’ health and wellbeing.

The Wicksteed Charitable Trust was formed to ensure his work continued after his death and the park has become known as the home of children’s play.

The @play project has led to the creation of, with the help of Wicksteed Leisure, a free heritage playground featuring ten pieces of historic play equipment, including the recovery and refurbishment of what is believed to be the world’s oldest playground swing, made by Charles a century ago. It also contains a Wicksteed rocking horse dating back 80 years as well as reconstructions of a 1921 slide.

The grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund has also helped to fund the restoration of the Garden Room tearoom, which offers stunning views across the park from the top of the park’s famous Edwardian-style Pavilion.

The fountain lawn, complete with iconic fountain, has been restored to its former glory and provided a wonderful backdrop to last year’s Centenary Ball, originally delayed by Covid but held in the Pavilion to celebrate the park’s original opening.

Seven traditional telescopes have also been installed, pointing at key parts of the 147-acre park. When visitors look through the viewer they see an image of what that area used to look like when the park opened, as well as hearing a narrative in the voices of Charles Wicksteed and his daughter Hilda describing its significance.

The project has also included the launch of a sustainable volunteering programme to help with the park’s upkeep and restoration and a host of activities are now run for the benefit of the local community.

A digital archive (archive.wicksteedpark.org) has also been launched, which contains historical photos, plans and memorabilia tracing the story of Charles Wicksteed and his remarkable vision and creativity.

Oliver Wicksteed, chairman of the Wicksteed Charitable Trust, which owns the park, said: “We are incredibly grateful that The National Lottery Heritage Fund understands the importance of the park and its heritage and backed us in this way, helping to make the @play project a fantastic success.

“The grant funding, made possible thanks to National Lottery players highlighted just how important ongoing financial support, coupled with fundraising and donations form the local community, is to help secure the long-term future of the park.

“We have been able to get more people involved with the park as well as giving them the chance to learn about the exciting heritage right on their doorstep.

“The @play project has promoted increased community use and involvement and provided great facilities and activities, many of which the public can access for free and we are incredibly grateful for the support we have received from The National Lottery Heritage Lottery Fund, to help us achieve this.”

Lynne Egginton, National Sales Manager for Wicksteed Leisure Ltd, said: “The whole team here were hugely impressed with Mia’s imaginative design and the story behind it. Our challenge was turning it into a reality and providing an exciting, fun and safe experience for children of all ages to enjoy.

“We are really pleased with how it has turned out and we hope it meets Mia’s expectations. It has been a joy to collaborate with such a talented young lady and the Wicksteed Park team to bring this concept through to reality.”

Liz Shaw, Head of Engagement, England, Midlands & East at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “It’s fantastic to hear how the team at Wicksteed Park are working with young people on the @play project.

“Engaging young people is vital in securing the future of our heritage, and it’s thanks to National Lottery players that we’re able to support important projects such as this one, ensuring that heritage projects represent and reflect local voices from the community, and that their ideas are heard across the heritage landscape.”