Community jumps in to put playground together

A Rangeway family was fortunate enough to have their own backyard makeover on the weekend.

Rachel and Emiel Bressington purchased a miniature playground for their one-year-old daughter, Ruth, and four-year-old son, Micah, who was born with Fragile X Syndrome - a condition which affects his development.

However, sumps on the Bessington's property prevented them from setting up the play equipment.

Mrs Bressington wrote to Bunnings about six months ago to ask for help, and after the hardware store checked out their backyard, they got to work.

Bunnings hired a bobcat and flattened the Bressington's backyard on Monday last week.

With the help of 20 members of the Rotary Club of Geraldton Greenough, they transformed the weed-ridden backyard into a family-friendly area for kids to play, with gates around the play equipment and a new grass area.

Mrs Bressington said she was overwhelmed with the transformation by Bunnings and the Rotary Club provided and was very grateful for the gesture.

She said she still couldn't believe it happened.

"It's amazing," she said.

"I just can't believe we've got that outside.

"The kids can actually go outside now. Normally in the school holidays I have to take them to parks.

"I woke up Sunday morning and to look out and see it, I couldn't believe it.

"I'm so grateful. No words can express how I feel."

Bunnings put on a barbecue lunch on the Saturday for the family and the volunteers.

Bunnings Geraldton store manager Natalie Kennedy said she was happy to help the Bressingtons.

"Normally we don't get involved with individual cases, but we do it to support Rotary," she said.

"Considering from where it started, it's excellent.

"To get started to do those projects is very hard. It's all about having the community groups around town."

Mrs Bressington thanked Bunnings and the Rotary Club for all their work and effort over the weekend.