Meadowbrook + DRA logo Meadowbrook The Dartington Recreation Association
Look after Meadowbrook

Projects & Ideas

Meadowbrook is looked after by the people who use it. This is our shared list of things we'd love to do - from quick jobs at the next workday to bigger projects we're working towards together. Have a look, and if something speaks to you, put your hand up.

Anyone can get involved. Offer a few hours at a workday, lend a skill or some materials, or become the named lead for a job so others can rally around you. Local businesses are very welcome to donate time or materials - we'll happily say thank you here when the job is done.

Roll up your sleeves

Jobs to do

Open Multi-day

Fire exit, stage side

Reshape the stage-side fire exit so it opens onto a clear, straight and level escape route. A priority safety job.

Open Multi-day

Fire exit, pool side

Replace the pool-side decking with a solid, drained concrete exit and a safe set of steps. A priority safety job.

Open Half a day

Fire door, studio

Replace the swollen, poorly-fitting studio fire door and frame so it closes properly. A priority safety job.

Open A full workday

Fire door, Pavilion battery room

Fit a proper fire door to the Pavilion battery room - and check whether it needs an extractor. To be confirmed with our fire risk assessor first.

Open Half a day

Sort out the lounge sink

The lounge sink has been reported leaking and the drain may not run freely. Get it flowing properly and watertight.

Open Half a day

Clear the rainwater drains

Clear the final run of the rainwater drainage system, which we believe is blocked, and inspect the run before it. A specialist job.

Open A full workday

Tape and paint the wall boards

Daylight is showing through the gaps in the wall boards. Tape the joints and paint them up - a satisfying workday job.

Open Half a day

Repair the uneven flooring around the drain covers

The flooring has settled unevenly around the drain covers, leaving lips and dips. Level it back off so it's safe to walk over.

Open A full workday

Repair the picnic benches

The picnic benches by the playground are weathered and some are working loose. A satisfying workday job with a result you can see straight away.

Open Half a day

New signs for the site

The welcome board and park signs still send people to our old web address, and the activities panel is empty. New artwork would put that right.

Open Half a day

Replace the boiler cupboard doors

The boiler cupboard doors don't swing properly. Replace them with new ones.

Open Half a day

Fix the lounge-to-studio double doors

Get the double doors between the lounge and studio working from both sides, and able to be held open.

Open Quick win

Fit a better lock on the lounge door

Swap the lounge door's latch lock for a handle with a lock - a quick improvement.

Open Half a day

Replace the broken window latches

Several window catches and stays are broken or have come away entirely, so the windows can't be fastened shut or held safely open.

Working towards

Bigger projects

Open Multi-day

Rebuild the sauna-side fire exit steps

The sauna-side fire exit steps need more than a patch - they need rebuilding properly. A priority safety job on an escape route.

Open A full workday

Improve the building's networking and CCTV

Tidy up the wifi, network and CCTV across the site so coverage is reliable and the cameras all work together.

Open Multi-day

Repair Collin's bridge

A bigger project we're working towards - repairing Collin's bridge across the span. We're weighing up a DIY approach against a professional installation.

Open A full workday

Move the bins and bike racks

Relocate the bins and bike racks, and build a small slab and low wall to tidy the area up.

Open Multi-day

Sort out the waterlogged ground by the playground

Through the winter the play area and picnic ground hold water and turn to mud, which puts people off using it for months at a time.

Open Multi-day

A calisthenics set-up for the field

An outdoor calisthenics rig - bars, rings and frames - free to use for everyone. We're looking for people to help plan it and raise the money.

The big one

Rebuilding the swimming pool

Alongside everything on this list sits our biggest project by far. The pool was built by volunteers in 1975, closed in 2022 when the structure failed, and now has full planning permission to be rebuilt. It needs roughly £1m — and hands, skills and fundraising help to match.

About the pool project
Got an idea?

Got an idea?

However half-formed, we'd love to hear it. A better use for a room, something the kids would enjoy, a small change that would make a big difference - send it our way and we'll add the good ones to the list.

Share an idea