Head opens school playpark after MND diagnosis

14 minutes ago

Jim ScottIn Stockton

News image — An ankle injury led to Claire Park's motor neurone disease diagnosis

BBC/Jim Scott Claire Park, who is in a wheelchair and wearing a floral dress, is next to her husband, Matthew. Together, they are holding silver metal scissors and are getting ready to cut a red ribbon, which is at the entrance of the new wooden playground. In the background is one of wooden fences, and a large shed. — An ankle injury led to Claire Park's motor neurone disease diagnosis

A headteacher, whose ankle injury turned out to be motor neurone disease (MND), has fulfilled a dream to open an £89,000 playground at her former school.

Claire Park had to retire from Hartburn Primary School in Stockton after being told she has MND, a condition which causes muscle weakness, in January 2025.

Her husband Matthew likened the condition to a game of "whack-a-mole", with new health challenges appearing every day, but said the family remained positive.

Former colleagues, friends and businesses raised more than £100,000 to grant the former head's years-long wish to refurbish the playground, and provide funds for the awareness charity the MND Association.

Hartburn Primary School A photograph which shows Claire Park before her diagnosis. She is smiling and is standing between two pupils on each of her side who are wearing mortar boards and school uniform. Two of the girls, on the right of the picture, are blowing party whistles. They are all in front of a large blue sign which has several languages, welcoming people to the school. — Claire had been headteacher at the school since 2020

Speaking via artificial intelligence, which uses old recordings of her voice, she said she had wanted to open the park years before her diagnosis.

"When I was headteacher I had a vision for this space and wanted to create somewhere really special for our children," she said.

"That vision was something I cared deeply about, so to come back today to see it become a reality is especially special to me."

The playground features a shed, flower beds, climbing frames and astroturf and has been named Mrs Park's Park.

Jill Ellison, the school's chair of governors, said it was a "dream come true".

A section of the new play park, which includes a bench around the trunk of a tree, six large boxes on top of wooden decking, and three main patches of astroturf linked by pebble-patterned paving. In the background is the school's existing play area which is separated with a low, metal green fence. — The new park cost about £89,000 which was fundraised by the community

Matthew Park said MND had been a "very difficult" disease to deal with.

"There's a new symptom, new challenge every day and we adjust, try and find a rhythm and then the next day there's another one that crops up that we have to adjust and deal with."

He said he no longer considered it a "rare disease" as it was clear "there's a lot of people affected".

Follow BBC Tees on X,Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.