Having been contacted about concerns the newly refurbished Stratford Park play facilities will not properly cater for disabled children, I visited the park with local resident Karon Vizor-Beard who is the grandmother of a disabled child.
I started raising the need to improve playgrounds a few years ago after a mum in Nailsworth with a disabled son said her able-bodied daughter was missing out as rarely could she take them both to playgrounds as there was no inclusive equipment for her son.
I then wrote to all parish councils. Many are already making changes and following my letters, the district council created a fund for play areas which is really great but I am concerned that progress could be patchy if Stratford Park is anything to go by.
If parents and grandparents are now looking at taxpayer funded investment by the council and questioning whether changes are properly inclusive, there are questions to answer.
The thing that is often missed is that able bodied children can play on inclusive equipment too so just putting the odd inclusive roundabout or swing in is not sufficient or necessary - especially now inclusivity is in planning guidance.
I have also lobbied government and supported various applications around the district for national funding from the National Lottery and government.
More here 
https://www.stroudnewsandjournal.co.uk/news/24307985.passionate-grandmo…
