A TADLEY group of mums were celebrating this week, after scooping £50,000 towards funds to refurbish Tadley’s skatepark in a televised competition for lottery funds - with work set to start after Christmas.
Members of the Jake N’ Lee Tadley Youth Fund have been awarded £50,000 towards the project to refurbish the town’s skatepark, in Tadley Common Road, after viewers voted it their favourite on the ITV People’s Millions competition, run in partnership with the Big Lottery Fund.
Following an ITV televised broadcast about fundraising efforts last Tuesday evening (November 23), and by the group’s chairwoman, Donna Fowler, the following morning (November 25), Mrs Fowler then received a mysterious telephone call from competition organisers, asking her to gather members of the group together for further filming, later that day.
“I said ‘Have we won?’” and he said ‘I can’t tell you,’” said Mrs Fowler.
”I said ‘I think we’ve won it girls!’ and started crying,” she added.
After gathering at midday at the Hurst Community College, Baughurst, and being ushered into the hall, the group then received a surprise presentation of a huge cheque, by Meridian television presenter, Sangeeta Bhabra.
“It’s a bit surreal. I woke up Thursday morning thinking ‘Did I dream that?’” said Mrs Fowler.
“We are only a group of mums and we got together and did this.”
Mrs Fowler thanked everyone who voted for them, and helpers, including Tadley youth club, run by Nick HIcks, of Hampshire Youth Service, whose young members delivered leaflets in the local area about the fund prior to the televised bid, with a plea for votes.
Work on the £120,000 project, which has been granted planning permission, is now set to start in the New Year.
In addition to the £50,000 lottery money, over £18,000 has been raised so far by the group, making a grand total of over £68,000 to kick start the project.
The refurbishment of the skatepark is in memory of Tadley teenagers, Jake Burden, aged 18, and Lee Robinson, aged 16, who died in a 2007 car accident, both regular users of the park.