A recently installed Miracle playground at a local allotment in Northampton has become a huge success and has received an accolade at a recent award ceremony. The revolutionary project, the first at an allotment in Northampton, was designed to encourage an interest in gardening and the environment from a young age and has seen a huge increase in young people using the facility.

Some of the most deserving groups in Northamptonshire were recognised by a charity foundation for the good work they do in the community. The winners of the Northamptonshire Community Foundation Annual Awards were revealed at a ceremony at the Northampton School for Boys. The presentation evening marked the charity’s 10th birthday and since their launch they have distributed £5 million to more than 2,000 organisations.

The St David’s Allotment Association, in St David’s, Northampton, received the Strengthening Community award at the ceremony. The allotment features an orchard and a play and sports area, which was created by the group following a grant from the foundation.

Miracle Design and Play were selected to come up with an area suitable for children from 2-12 years on a tight budget. Working with the Allotment group Miracle came up with a robust and innovative design that catered for all ages and abilities and allowed the tight budget to be stretched to give the users exactly what they were looking for.

More than 70 young people regularly visit the allotment play area and it has become a real focal point for the allotment users.