NEW volunteer helpers will start training at a long-awaited play park at the weekend, ready for its relaunch in the Spring.

The Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground closed to the public in December 2009 after financial concerns.

But thanks to the tireless efforts of its committee – and a little help from the Oxford Mail – it is on course to open again on April 16, complete with a new team of helpers.

Secretary Sue Price said: “On Saturday, we’ve got the first lot of people training all day. They’ll be learning first aid and everything they need to volunteer at the playground when it opens.

“At the moment, we’ve got about 12 volunteers already signed up, which is great.”

The playground in Blackbird Leys Road used to attract dozens of children to its holiday and after-school sessions.

A dedicated group of parents, including committee chairman Kieran Watson, have spent the last two years working to get it reopened.

It was helped to its feet in November with a £6,590 grant from the Gannett Foundation, the charitable arm of the Oxford Mail’s American parent company.

Mrs Price said: “We have local parents, an 18-year-old lad, two sixth form students and some grandparents too. It’s a real mix of people representing the community and they’ll all be trained up over two weekends.”

The playground, which opened in 1976, was previously turned down for Big Lottery Fund money and cash from Oxfordshire County Council’s Big Society fund.

The committee are continuing to apply for funding from a host of different sources.

It is hoped the playground will have around 30 volunteers by the time it opens, each spending at least one evening a week to supervise children.

When reopened, it will cater for eight- to 13-year-olds with after-school clubs and weekend and holiday activities.

Also pitching in have been eight members of a “community payback team”, who have helped clear and refurbish big parts of the facility.