Paralympian returns home to open Walpole St Andrew park

Villagers gathered in Walpole St Andrew on Sunday to celebrate the official ‘naming day’ of its refurbished park.

Paralympian Jody Cundy OBE, who is originally from the village, opened Walpole Memorial Playpark 21 years after he officially opened the community centre.

On Twitter, Jody said: “Back in my home village to officially open the Walpole Memorial Playpark at the community centre I opened back in 1997 #localceleb.”

Jody is pictured above with visitors to the park.

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The idea to refurbish the park, which is made up of two separate parts for younger and older children, came about in 2013 and work was completed last year, after the money was raised through donations, grants and council funds.

James Whittaker, of Walpole Parish Council, said: “The naming day went really well, it was a lovely, sunny day and it was well-attended.”

He said although the memorial park was completed last year, the council decided to wait until this year to officially open it, as it coincided with the centenary of the end of the First World War.