The Ashes Playing Field Trust has £40,089 towards a £44,543.84 scheme: a wheelchair-accessible swing, a rebuilt entrance and an all-weather path. No date yet.

The charity that runs Howden’s main playing field has been awarded £40,089 to make its play area usable by wheelchair users, in a scheme that will cost £44,543.84 in total.

The Ashes Playing Field Trust gets the money through East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Commuted Sums Open Space Grant. The Trust is putting in £4,454.84 of its own as match funding, which is exactly a tenth of the cost. (East Riding of Yorkshire Council, 24 August 2026)

Howden is about 19 miles west of Beverley, at the western end of the district.

What the money buys

The work is at The Ashes Playing Field on Treeton Road. According to the council, it covers:

  • a fully inclusive wheelchair-accessible swing
  • an upgraded entrance to the playground
  • a durable all-weather path linking the roundabout, the slide and the other main areas
  • accessible seating, for children, families, older residents, carers and visitors
How the £44,543.84 Ashes Playing Field scheme is paid for A single bar showing the funding split. The council's Commuted Sums Open Space Grant provides £40,089, which is 90 per cent of the cost. The Ashes Playing Field Trust provides £4,454.84 in match funding, which is 10 per cent. The Trust is finding a tenth of the cost itself Funding for the £44,543.84 accessibility scheme at The Ashes Playing Field, Howden. Source: East Riding of Yorkshire Council, 24 August 2026. £40,089 Council Commuted Sums Open Space Grant, 90% Right hand block: £4,454.84 from The Ashes Playing Field Trust, 10% Total project cost £44,543.84 The council has not published a start or completion date for the work. Graphic by East Riding Today

The council says the need was identified after a site visit and an accessibility review, and that the Trust’s application recorded requests from residents for a wheelchair swing.

Andy Wilson, a trustee, said in the council’s announcement: “The Ashes has always been at the heart of our community, and these improvements are an important step towards ensuring that everyone can enjoy the facilities.” Councillor Nick Coultish, the council’s cabinet member for planning, called it “a fantastic development”.

Once the work is done, the Trust maintains it, including checks by its groundsman and annual playground inspections. No start date or completion date has been given.

The other half of a day out

The council links the scheme to the Changing Places toilet that opened in Howden town centre, on the grounds that the two together let people with complex care needs stay in the town for longer.

That toilet is worth knowing about if you are planning the trip. It is run by Howden Town Council on Charles Briggs Avenue, DN14 7SX, it is open normal hours, and it was paid for through the government’s Changing Places programme. The room is 13 square metres. (Changing Places register)

The playing field itself is free and open to the public, with entrances from the town centre and nearby car parks. The council says it is already used by Howden Pre-School, walking groups, sports clubs and community organisations.

What it means for you

  • Nothing changes at The Ashes yet. The grant has been awarded, the work has not started, and no date has been published for it.
  • If you use a wheelchair or push a buggy, the path is the part that matters. An all-weather surface linking the roundabout and the slide is the difference between reaching the equipment in October and not.
  • If your group wants the same fund, you will have to ask for it. The council names the scheme as its Commuted Sums Open Space Grant, but we could not find it on the council’s grants and funding page. Contact the council rather than looking for an application form.
  • Howden is in the East Riding for services, so the town uses the same bin collection days and council tax bands as the rest of the district.