Pocket Park, Boughton

Client: Pocket Park Committee

Cost: £82,000

Date: June 2025

Genre: Community, Inclusive

The Northamptonshire village of Boughton is a picturesque rural spot which is home to a small, close-knit community. Its local park is a popular destination for families, and it features a play area which has delighted children for many years. Unlike many community parks, however, it is managed not by the local council but the Pocket Park Committee, a charitable organisation made up of passionate local volunteers. For years, they had envisaged a major upgrade to the play area, which would broaden its play offering and increase its inclusivity – and in mid-2025, with the local Parish Council agreeing to fund the project, we were excited to finally bring their vision to life.

We began by undertaking a thorough site survey, and finalising a design which fully reflected the group’s great ambition for Pocket Park. As well as introducing a dynamic range of new equipment, which would fire the imaginations of toddler and junior-age children, we were also keen to ensure a very high level of inclusivity in the updated playground, and provide much greater accessibility in its layout and surfacing.

Due to the project’s long gestation period (owing to the uncertainty with funding), we collaborated with the Pocket Park Committee over a number of years on our design, as our team reworked it at every stage to accord with the latest financial update, and continually sought out more innovative and economically prudent solutions to problems. Whilst challenging, this was a beneficial and rewarding experience for us, and throughout the project we were pleased to demonstrate our ability to work constructively with partners in the charitable sector, as well as our most frequent clients in local government.

Throughout the design process, we knew that all of the existing equipment and benches would remain in place, and our designers worked hard to seamlessly integrate our new additions alongside it. We also included an extensive resurfacing, with rubber mulch providing a safe, stable and durable surface upon which children could play, whilst aesthetically matching the space’s rural surroundings. We also fundamentally restructured the playground’s layout, boosting its accessibility for those with limited mobility, by adding a new self-binding gravel pathway which would connect to the existing park path. This would enable wheelchair or pushchair users to easily access the equipment, without having to traverse the uneven grassland terrain.

As we commenced our installation, we were excited to welcome a group of pupils from two nearby schools, Boughton Academy and Born to Perform Dance School, who explored the space and marked out where the new equipment would be located. This was particularly rewarding for us, as the children would be some of the most frequent visitors to the playground when it was finished. During the installation itself, meanwhile, we also offered regular updates to the wider community with a new progress page on our website, easily accessible from a QR code displayed on-site. This page granted us a welcome opportunity to explain the work we were doing, as we transformed Pocket Park with a thrilling array of new equipment:

Fun For All

The largest and most noticeable of these is our Hazel wooden climbing frame, from our naturalistic Orchard range. With 12 play feature activities for up to 15 users, the unit delivers a huge variety of play value for children aged 4 to 12, include an audio-visual rotating wheel with a friendly snail motif, a pair of swivelling binoculars, a nature-themed bench seat, an inclined drag ramp with climbing nodules, ropes and a transfer deck (enabling access for wheelchair users with a degree of upper body strength), and a stainless steel slide for a quick exit.

Nearby, our Inclusive Skate Wheelchair Roundabout brings big spinning fun for children with limited mobility, with its inground, open design and non-slip decks allowing it to accommodate a centrally positioned wheelchair. Its colour contrasting edge also acts as a visual indicator for partially sighted users, further boosting the roundabout’s inclusivity, and it is surrounded by a small amount of wetpour surfacing which makes it smoother and easier to access for those with wheelchairs or pushchairs.

Alongside this, our colourful Train Engine and Carriage HPL units bring character and locomotive-themed charm to Pocket Park, and allow multiple children of young toddler age to enjoy plenty of social interaction and role play fun. They are joined by two colourful and multi-sensory play panels – OXO (Noughts and Crosses) and Rock Paper Scissors. As well as bringing two classic games to the play area, these panels are sure to engage younger children of every ability with co-operative play and many tactile elements.

This section is rounded out with two of our colourful inclusive springies, Ladybird and Bee, both of which bring big bouncing and rocking fun whilst displaying a friendly, colourful HPL design with an insect theme (reflecting the natural surroundings). Both include ergonomic upright rubber handles for excellent grip, and their open fronted design facilitates easy entry for children with many different accessibility requirements.

A little away from the main area of the space, two new spinners deliver another staple play experience, with our Inclusive Dish Roundabout offering an open shape and design which ensures good body support and security for two users, including those with limited mobility. It is also set at an appropriate height for wheelchair side transfer, minimising the lifting required by helpers, and increasing the child’s confidence and independence. Nearby, a second spinner – our Hula rotator roundabout – is based around a suspended hoop, and it is perfect for testing the balance of two children aged 3 to 14 (but it can also be used alone, if a child prefers to remain solitary).

Finally, no playground is truly complete without a fantastic selection of swings, and Pocket Park is now full of exciting options in this regard:

As well as replacing four aging seats with two of our Cradle Seats, which hug the child as they swing, and two classic Bumper Seats, which provide a more conventional swinging experience for slightly older children, we also added an inclusive Turtle Shell Nest Seat on one of our Modular Frames. This innovative seat features an open birds’ nest design which supports a group of children swinging at once, including those with many different kinds of disabilities. Elsewhere, our Big Sky Swing, with 3 ‘belt’ style seats, allows those with a head for heights aged 7 to 12 to swing around its central bearing hub in a fun carousel style.

Exceeding Expectations

Fliss Thistlethwaite, from the Pocket Park Committee, said:

‘Working with the Sutcliffe Play team was a dream. David (Area Sales Manager) was always available to talk to me, and I never felt like anything was a chore. When things went wrong, the team were great with their communication. It was timely, clear and honest. I’ve never felt sold-to, always felt listened-to, and nothing was too much of an issue for both David and Luke (Contracts Manager).

The play area looks great in the park – the accessible kit is perfectly positioned, and the community love how it looks and feels. Since the fabulous opening, the park has never not had people using it, and every time I go up with my own young kids, it’s filled with laughter, light and fun. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve done with Sutcliffe Play.’

As a result of our hard work, this reinvigorated neighbourhood park play area now affords thrilling play opportunities for children across the age and ability range. This was on full display in July 2025, on the final day of the school term, when we were delighted to join local schoolchildren, their families and the Pocket Park Committee to officially open the new space – and kick off the holidays in playful style!

Playground Equipment:

Hazel

Hazel

Inclusive Skate Wheelchair Roundabout

Inclusive Skate Wheelchair Roundabout

Train Engine

Train Engine

Carriage

Train Carriage

OXO Play Panel

OXO Play Panel

Rock Paper Scissors

Rock Paper Scissors Panel

Ladybird Springie

Ladybird Springie

Bee Springie

Bee Springie

Inclusive Dish Roundabout

Inclusive Dish Roundabout

Hula

Hula Rotator

Cradle Seat

Cradle Seat

Bumper Seat

Bumper Seat

Turtle Shell Nest Seat

Turtle Shell Nest Seat

Modular Swing Frame

Modular Swing Set

Big Sky Swing

Big Sky Swing

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Rope

Durable steel-cored rope is a hugely versatile material, which offers great utility as part of more challenging equipment, such as our climbing and balancing focused Mission and Neo ranges, whilst also being used to create the colour contrasting scramble nets found on a number of our inclusive-focused units.

The rope’s steel core offers great durability, allowing it to endure heavy sustained usage for long periods without requiring replacement. Not only does this minimise wastage, but at the point that replacement finally does become necessary, its environmental impact is mitigated by the fact that steel is one of the world’s most recyclable metals.

Prior to this, however, sustainability is also a key consideration for us during the initial stages of our equipment’s development. This is why we seek to deal with responsible suppliers at all times, and participate in a sustainable supply chain with environmental consideration at its heart.

Both of our wholesale suppliers of steel-cored rope hold all of the relevant credentials to operate in a modern, climate conscious marketplace, and both source their rope from a respected third-party enterprise which holds the ISO 14001. This internationally recognized standard demonstrates their commitment to minimizing their environmental impact, and continuously improving their performance in this area.

Our nets and ropes are covered by a 5-year warranty against non-structural failure due to faulty workmanship or materials.

Anti-Slip Surfacing

Many of our products, especially our multi-play units, are designed to enable fast, thrilling, kinetic play for all ages and abilities. This is why durable, hard-wearing anti-slip surfacing is another key material used in our factory, to deliver the safest, highest quality playing experience for children.

The two most commonly used materials in this regard are Hexastrong panels and WISA®-Multifloor panels. The former is found primarily on the walking decks and steps on many of our multi-play units, including in our MiniTown, Toddlerzone and Playzone ranges. With their hard-wearing nature and excellent strength to weight ratio, these panels are ideally suited for use on playground equipment, and as they are produced primarily from timber, they can be considered a renewable resource.

Durable WISA®-Multifloor panels are also utilised most prominently in our Toddlerzone and Playzone ranges. Constructed from birch veneers bonded together with weather-resistant glue and coated with an elastic overlay, they deliver a strong, safe surface on walking decks and steps, upon which children can play freely.

As with all materials involved in the manufacture of our products, we work hard to ensure we deal with responsible suppliers at every stage, and participate in a sustainable supply chain with environmental consideration at its heart:

Both of our Hexastrong suppliers are UK-based, reducing emissions from overseas freight, and the materials we source from both are FSC (Forest Stewardship Certification) approved, ensuring they are derived from well-managed forests and tracked throughout their manufacturing journey. Both suppliers also fully comply with the Timber and Timber Products Regulations (UKTR), which requires them to conduct all necessary due diligence on their supply chains, to ensure the materials they use have been legally sourced and traded.

One of our suppliers also utilises a Carbon Calculator, to inform every customer of the overall carbon footprint of their order, taking in manufacture, delivery of the product to the supplier’s warehouse, and storage, all the way up to the moment it leaves the supplier’s premises. This information allows us to easily understand the carbon impact of the Hexastrong panels we purchase, and assess the results accordingly.

Our supplier of WISA®-Multifloor panels, meanwhile, is based like us in West Yorkshire, again reducing freight emissions, and as with our Hexastrong supplier, is FSC (Forest Stewardship Certification) approved and fully complies with the Timber and Timber Products Regulations (UKTR).

Both our Hexastrong and Wisa®-Multifloor panels are covered by a 5-year warranty against material degradation.

Paint/Finishing

Although originating from our West Yorkshire factory, our equipment delivers fun across the country every day – and beneath the colourful surface, its fundamentals are high quality, durable, and sustainable.

When it comes to safeguarding our environment, however, we know the surface itself has a part to play, too. We utilise a range of different treatments and finishes, including galvanising, powder coating and zinc priming for mild steel, and anodising for aluminium. These processes provide the materials with the best chance of enduring heavy usage, whilst sealing the surface’s prime coating, and adding further durability through a UV stable colourfast finish.

The manner of application is also crucial with regards to sustainability. Our preferred method, electrostatic spraying, involves the use of a spray gun to powder coat the metal. This leads to an exceptionally even particle distribution when compared with traditional airless methods, which can result in significant overspray and insufficient coverage. The improved transfer then translates to reduced paint consumption, which in turn reduces waste, and saves on any cleaning agents required to remove excess.

Our UK-based supplier practices sustainable delivery methods, including utilising cardboard packaging in place of plastic, as well as biodegradable packing made from natural, nontoxic sources (such as wheat and corn starch) which can be used in compost piles after use.

Our paint, anodising and galvanising are all covered by a 7-year warranty against significant corrosion due to faulty materials or finishing.

Rubber

With its inherent flexibility and array of bright colours, rubber is ideal for use in play equipment.

In our case, it is the main material used in many of our swing seats, whose design and production originally helped to make Sutcliffe Play a leading name in the playground market.

Rubber is derived from the sap of the rubber tree, which, when farmed responsibly, can be tapped for latex production over a period of many years before requiring replacement. Not only does this make the rubber itself a sustainable resource, it is also a great benefit for the wider ecosystem, as rubber trees have a significant capacity to absorb carbon dioxide.

Likewise, natural rubber is also extremely biodegradable, giving it a major advantage over plastic (which can take decades or even centuries to decompose); the higher the percentage of pure latex rubber in the compound, the faster it breaks down upon disposal.

Our north-west based supplier is a leading enterprise that operates a Sustainable Procurement Policy, which seeks to monitor and manage the business’s environmental impact, whilst ensuring social, environmental and economic factors are fully considered by employees and suppliers.

Our rubber is covered by a 3-year warranty against material degradation.

Aluminium

Sustainability and durability run through our equipment quite literally from top to bottom, as the supporting uprights on our popular Toddlerzone, Playzone, Neo and Mission ranges are constructed from high-quality, responsibly sourced aluminium.

Three of our four main aluminium suppliers are based locally in West Yorkshire, reducing freight emissions, and all seek to work within a sustainable supply chain, with one certified to the Environmental 14001 standard, whilst another is beginning to roll out the use of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil to replace diesel at all of their service centres, leading to a reduction in carbon emissions and nitrogen oxide.

Aluminium is not only a highly durable material, it is also the most recyclable metal in the world, and can be continually re-melted and refashioned into new products without losing its properties. This process also uses up to 95% less energy than the production of new aluminium from raw materials.

Its unique combination of versatile properties, including low weight, high strength, corrosion resistance and recyclability make it a perfect match for heavy usage playgrounds. Its hardened anodised finish is also maintenance free and requires no touch-up or finish during its life cycle, saving on wastage and the use of new top up materials.

Our aluminium is covered by a lifetime warranty against structural strength, and our anodising is covered by a 7-year warranty against significant corrosion due to faulty materials or finishing.

Mild Steel

Mild steel is another essential material which is a perfect fit for our durable product range, used to create the supporting components of our multi play units, as well as rotators such as our inclusive dish roundabouts.

As with stainless steel, our supplier is an established enterprise in the local West Yorkshire area. Their mild steel includes an average of 76% recycled content, and is created from raw materials sourced from UK and Belgian foundries which are BES6001 certified. As of April 2023, their activity was estimated to produce 1.39 tonnes of carbon emissions per tonne of steel, well below one of the major estimated industry averages (1.85 tonnes), and on par with another (1.40).

This high-quality material is painted using a sustainable electrostatic process, and gains added protection through a UV stable colourfast finish. It has been proven to withstand not only the rigours of daily usage but the harshest of outdoor environments, including those with high salinity – this is well-evidenced by the fact that there has never been a customer claim against its structural guarantee.

Our mild steel is covered by a lifetime warranty against structural strength.

Stainless Steel

Another material that helps us to offer the most robust equipment on the market is stainless steel, used in the manufacture of our chute, bedway and bannister slides.

Our supplier is local, based like us in West Yorkshire (reducing freight-based carbon emissions), and sources their stainless steel from an enterprise which is a leader in sustainability, whose steel output includes a recycled content of between 85% and 90% (against an industry average of 60%); this same enterprise has also reduced their direct per ton CO² by 25% over the last decade. In addition, the carbon footprint of their stainless steel has been found to be almost 40% smaller than it was in the 1990s.

The stainless steel in our products is maintenance free, easy clean, and suitable for all environments. It conforms to EN10088 specifications, and it is austenitic – making it stronger, more durable, and less electrically and thermally conductive than carbon steel, as well having a greater corrosion resistance. This durable, robust composition greatly extends the material’s lifespan, deferring waste creation (and steel is already the most recycled material used in manufacturing overall, so is far less likely to create waste at all).

Our stainless steel is covered by a lietime warranty against structural strength.

HPL

HPL is a high-performance, external grade, self-supporting laminate utilised in versatile ways throughout our product range, such as the colourful panelling on many of our multi-play units.

The two key components in its creation are paper (technically called cellulose fibres) and thermosetting resin, with the former representing 60-70% of the finished material.

Our supplier is an Environmental Management Systems ISO 14001:2015 certified business, which holds both of the voluntary ‘Chain of Custody’ certifications according to FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) schemes. These certifications guarantee that the final product is made of material from well-managed, FSC or PEFC-Certified forests, and other controlled sources.

No organic solvents, asbestos or heavy metals are used during HPL’s production cycle, and it doesn’t release any gases, vapours, solvents or fluids. Its processing waste can be handled in a manner equivalent to household waste at controlled landfills, and it is estimated that 80% of the waste generated by our supplier is recovered.

Once created, HPL’s standout durability (it is fire-retardant, scratch and shock resistant, and non-porous) ensures that it will resist a great deal of wear and tear, and endure for long periods before requiring replacement.

Our HPL panels are covered by a lifetime warranty against non-structural failure due to faulty workmanship or materials.

HDPE

HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) is an extremely versatile thermoplastic polymer used in the freestanding play panels which feature in many of our play spaces, as well as for various components across our product range.

Offering an excellent strength-to-density ratio, and a very high impact resistance and melting point, products utilising HDPE are sure to enjoy a very long life.

The HDPE we purchase is sustainably sourced, and includes an average of 76% recycled content. Our supplier has also recycled 99% of their waste material and off-cuts since the formation of their business, and offers HDPE recycling services to customers for products which are no longer required.

Unlike natural, porous materials such as wood (which can feature fissures or grooves that harbour moisture or bacteria) HDPE resists mould and rotting as well as most strong mineral acids and naturally occurring chemicals. HDPE is also easily recyclable, helping to keep non-biodegradable waste out of landfill.

Our freestanding play panels are also accompanied by a selection of sustainably sourced supporting posts, including recycled plastic, galvanised metal, and timber. As with HDPE, these enjoy a far longer lifespan due to their environmental resistance (with none of the rotting, cracking, or splitting that may come with traditional timber posts), and they also help to reduce non-biodegradable landfill waste.

Our HDPE is covered by a lifetime warranty against non-structural failure due to faulty workmanship or materials.

Glulam

Our Treetops multi-play equipment is well-known for its naturalistic aesthetic, with striking wooden support beams bringing an eye-catching look to the entire range.

These are constructed from Glued Laminated (Glulam) Larch, a structurally engineered wood comprised of layers of dimensioned lumber, bonded together with durable, moisture-resistant structural adhesives.

Our well-established supplier of Glulam is based very locally to our factory in West Yorkshire, reducing freight emissions – and as with all of our materials, Glulam’s great durability minimises waste and the need for replacement in the long term. Its design delivers greater dimensional stability than that of whole log sections, with no shakes, twisting or warping, and all Glulam beams within the Treetops range have an oblique cut top to prevent water ingress, as well as galvanized steel shoes to protect the base of each post from the elements.

As well as having no known negative environmental effects, repairability of Glulam is high, and once it reaches the end of its natural life, it can be repurposed as an excellent biofuel.

Our Glulam is covered by a 15-year warranty against structural strength.

Timber

Timber is an essential material in our work, used primarily in our naturalistic Orchard range – and we strive to ensure not only that it is sustainably sourced, but smartly applied to ensure maximum longevity.

Our FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified supplier handles slow grown pine logs derived from strictly controlled sources, either through government body approved felling licences or forest/woodland management plans. They also encourage the recycling of their products during manufacturing, with all wastage repurposed – including in a local biomass plant that produces electricity and heat.

The timber we purchase for use in our Orchard posts has been pressure treated against wet rot, dry rot and insect infestation, carried out after it has been cut and drilled (ensuring the coverage of all exposed timber). It has also been preservative pressure-treated with high-quality Tanalith 9000, which is proven at providing unrivalled protection.

A UK-sourced aluminium protective shoe maintains the timber above ground level, protecting the base of each post throughout its lifetime, and side ventilation holes allow the posts to breathe and stay dry. At the other end, a special rubber cap completely seals the post top, preventing moisture from entering the top grain.

Our Timber is covered by a 15-year warranty against structural strength.