At the Remembrance Day service on the Field, one local person (Sarah Lippitt) was unable to access the Memorial stone on the Field and had to watch everything from the other side of Derwent Road. This was because Sarah is a wheelchair user and despite having a sophisticated electric wheelchair it could not handle the high kerbs on either side of the road. 

The situation was clearly unacceptable especially when ‘access for all’ is one of the principles of the Friends of the Field. With the enthusiastic support  of County Councillor Lizzi Collinge and the blessing of Carol Backhouse, vicar of ChristChurch, the local council was quickly persuaded that this was something that needed to be put right. By the end of February, new dropped kerbs were installed on either side of Derwent Road and on 4th March Sarah came along to officially ‘open’ the new Crossing:

Sarah then led a return journey in the style of the Beatles’ ‘Abbey Road’ album, with Paul Wiggins Chair of the Friends, Councillor Lizzi Collinge, the Rev Carol Backhouse, and Sarah’s Mum.

Many thanks are due to all concerned, especially to the Council for acting so quickly and of course to Sarah for bringing the whole matter to our attention. Sarah herself is delighted:

” I think it’s brilliant that the Council have made a dropped kerb. Thank you to the Friends of Miss Whalley’s field for making it happen. Now I can access Miss Whalley’s field really easily” 

Well done Sarah! 

We hope to see you at many future events on the Field, though we may have to get on and improve the drainage in some places first!

Chairman Paul Wiggins featured on Radio Lancashire explaining to the world what The Friends of the Field have been doing…………..though he had to start from basics by explaining to everyone where we are!

You can listen to him here. It’s worth a listen!