A NEW all-inclusive play area has been opened in Whitchurch with a plaque dedicated to an inspirational schoolboy who died last year.

The play area in Dearmoss Meadow was officially opened on Saturday, June 10 the mayor of Whitchurch, Councillor Andy Hall, and Paul Evison, whose son Ben suffered with a muscle wasting disease before he passed away in 2021.

Mr Evison said the park being opened has helped him deal with his loss. A plaque has been installed beside its entrance.

He explained: "Having this park has given me extra strength to carry on living as a person.

"When Ben went I did not want to be here but now with something like this happening it is bringing the community together.

"And that is all Ben ever wanted, he wanted all people of different abilities to be able to play in the park with each other."

Paul added: "I thought I would not be able to speak.

"I have come, I have managed to talk and hopefully we have got the message across that with a bit of love and a bit of kindness we can do a lot.

"So he has given me the strength today, I feel he is with me today.

"He was a remarkable young man."

Paul said Ben went to Sir John Talbot's School rather than a special school.

He explained: "He was the very first one in 2017 to go to Sir John Talbot's and he had a lot things wrong.

"I said I will work in school for the first 12 months and show how to look after him.

"We changed the school where we had 49 children with all different complex care needs.

"We just learnt all together and we have got a really got team there.

"There are a lot more children there who are in mainstream school and got the opportunity to go to school with their brothers and sisters where as normally they would just be taken to a special school."

Cllr Hall praised Paul and Cllr Matt Phipps.

He added: "All this hard work and to get to today has been Paul's hard work together with Cllr Phipps to spearhead this and get it done.

"As a council, we all see the value of inclusive play.

"All young people should have the right to participate with their friends in an inclusive play area.

"Whitchurch Town Council, we champion this and as far as we are concerned this is just one of many play areas of town which will feature all inclusive play equipment so all the kids can participate."