IT IS a race against time for Donnington residents to reach their crowd-funding target before more than £4,000 already raised for park improvements is lost.

Around £500 is needed in less than a week if Donnington Tenants and Residents Association (DTRA) and Friends of Donnington Park are to meet their online target.

So far, just over £4,100 has been raised, thanks to generous donations of £1,000 each from the Shanly Foundation and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, but they still have yet to reach their £4,629 target.

If they don’t hit it the amount by Monday, just six days away, then the money already pledged online will be lost.

County Councillor Helen Evans who is secretary of the DTRA said: “We’re so nearly there with our target but if we don’t get the extra money needed in the next six days then we will lose the amount raised online.

“It would be such a loss to the community if we don’t hit this target given everyone’s hard work fundraising.

“Donations no matter how small would be welcomed. Every penny counts and together we can transform Donnington Park into a space for all to enjoy.”

The fundraiser was set up to pay for memorial benches and a wild garden to coincide with work already being done at the Oxford park thanks to city council funding.

Donnington has a football club, over 50s group, community centre, family centre and residents association but for years the park stood empty with little more than a few goal posts.

Last year residents were thrilled when Oxford City Council said it would be making funding available and since then improvements have already been made with more accessible gates, football pitches marked out and benches.

But residents believed more was needed to truly transform the park, so the DTRA and Friends of Donnington Park started a crowd-funder for memorial benches to commemorate neighbours, and a wild garden space to create a recreational space.

They are also fundraising separately for a picnic and play area with green gym equipment which local social enterprise the RAW Workshop.

If the target is reached, £2,700 will be used for three benches, which have already been purchased by the group, and £1,500 for the wildflower garden.

To donate visit spacehive.com/donnington-park