Calling all potential Ridlington Playing Field Trustees and Action Group members.
A great opportunity has arisen to become more involved in village life and in particular to help shape the future of the playing field.
Please do consider joining us as we want to start things happening again ASAP!
Please telephone Ruth for more information and a chat.
Tel: 07791 581100
The Playing Field Trustees wish to set up a working group and so are seeking volunteers to help prepare the field for the summer months.
The work envisaged includes:
We have already organised new wire netting to be installed where required as soon as possible to ensure and protect our pets from running out into the road.
We have in mind Saturday and Sunday the 24th and 25th April and would really really appreciate any help you are able to give.
Thanking you in anticipation
Ruth, Julie, Simon and Chris
Please call Ruth if you are able to help on 01572 821440 and which day/time to suit. If you can’t make this weekend don’t worry as I’m sure we will be coming up with more dates in the near future!
The old shipping containers that made up the cricket pavilion have now been removed and the site that they stood on will be tidied up in due course.
Thanks to Chris Lees for erecting the new Bird Boxes the money for which was donated by a Ridlington resident for that purpose and our thanks go to her.
Thanks go to Karen and Richard Baines who continue their hard work in clearing through the wooded areas. They have worked so so hard in creating a pathway through all the undergrowth which we will all be able to enjoy.
The main field will be mowed regularly this year. The outer areas will be allowed to rewild together with the new growth of the saplings planted over the last two years.
There will be further updates in the next Parish Magazine and on the village website.
Thank You
Trustees of Ridlington Playing Field
This is to advise that currently the containers in the Playing Fields are being removed.
When passing please take caution. It would be perhaps advisable to take the alternative route in or out of the village via Main street, East Lane whilst the containers are being removed.
Thank you.
The Trustees of Ridlington Playing Field have been deliberating the future of the cricket pavilion for some time.
They have now taken the decision to have the containers that make up the cricket pavilion removed as they are rapidly falling into disrepair and in need of urgent renovation. They also pose a health and safety hazard and are deemed no longer fit for purpose. The water supply and toilet outlets will be capped off for future use.
The Trustees sincerely hope that at a future date a more suitable building in keeping with the beautiful surroundings can be erected to support the future use of the playing field as an area of recreation, sport including cricket matches again and relaxation.
For further information please refer to Ridlington Parish website.
Results of the Playing Field Questionnaire that was circulated in the latter part of last year are now available to read on the website. We would like to thank Suzanne Baines again for all her hard work in the design, compilation, distribution and collation of all the documentation and to all of you who responded.
The analysis of the questionnaire together with the annual ROSPA Safety Inspection Report will be discussed at our first Action Group meeting towards the end of September. Date and time to be confirmed. The outcome of these discussions and the priorities and future plans will be taken forward by the Trustees and dedicated Action Groups. Please do let us know if you would like to be involved. We are in the process of setting up a Trustees email address which we will put on the website very soon.
The Field
We would like to thank Russell and Dawn once again for gathering the hay from the field. We know that so many of you missed the field as it was and are aware that leaving the grass to grow curtailed your enjoyment and regular activities. We thank you for bearing with us over the last 18 months and with the decisions that we made as a result of the ongoing pandemic. Your feedback has been greatly appreciated and noted and we will ensure that regular mowing and maintenance of the field will be resuming as we go forwards.
We are however, planning to let the periphery of the field continue to re-wild as we know from your feedback that this gives pleasure to so many in the village as well as helping nature to flourish. The new saplings are growing well within this area too.
We would like to thank Karen and Richard Baines as they continue to do a stirling job as volunteers within the playing field especially in the wooded areas around the periphery of the field. They and their team have worked so hard in clearing away so much dead wood and debris and have now created a path through the trees and bushes leading from where the wood starts on the far right hand side of the field (just above where the play area is) and going forwards towards the entrances to Green Lane. Richard has also removed all the barbed wire on that side bordering onto Green Lane. Your support continues to be invaluable. To see the improvements and what the Playing Field looks like now we’ve taken a few photos. 
The Play Area
A second lorry load of bark was recently delivered and spread. Thank you Simon. Appropriate signage remains in place.
The Sue Lane Memorial Bench has been washed and treated and now sits on the concrete base by the play area.
The new bench on the opposite side of the field is proving very popular and being well used also.
Cricket Club
There have been no home games this summer. We are in the process of liaising with representatives of the club to clarify their future plans.
Cricket Pavillion
We are aware that the existing cricket pavilion is no longer suitable or fit for purpose. Discussions are to take place to determine what actions are required now and in the future.
Bird Boxes
We have received a donation for bird boxes with the stipulation that they are made locally. Ideas welcome.
Football Pitch
Thanks goes to Mitch Pilkington for mowing the football field earlier in the summer. New football nets are due to be ordered shortly as the existing nets are shredded and torn.
Petanque
Peter Richards is taking this forward and was very much enthused by the interest expressed via the questionnaires. The area itself is now weed free due to the hard work of members of the group.
Dog Poo Bins
These are proving very popular and we endeavour to empty them regularly.
Mariane and Ruth enjoyed meeting with the High Sheriff David Wood and his wife Jeffy on their recent visit to the village. We enjoyed our stroll around the field together and the mutual exchange of information was most appreciated.
You will have noticed from time to time we have taken the decision to lock the main gate to the field following the advice of our local police when there has been an increased risk of unauthorised groups driving in and gathering illegally on green spaces in our locality. Thank you for your understanding. Thankfully we have the small gate just a little further down the road.
Thank you all for your ongoing support. It is greatly welcomed and appreciated.
Ridlington Playing Field Trustees
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Here is an update from the Trustees of the Ridlington Playing Field.
For those who may not be aware the village playing field on Top Road is held in Trust for the village by a small body of Trustees currently; Julie Hoult, Mariane Gilkes, Simon Powell and Ruth Lees. The Trustees have a legal responsibility to manage the playing field in the best way they see fit for the benefit of the villagers and a body of Trustees has been doing this since the playing fields were gifted in trust in 1946.
The Trustees really appreciate the enthusiasm of many villagers to engage in the upkeep and enhancement of the field and appreciate the feedback you have given through the survey. To ensure that these collaborations achieve maximum benefit and comply with the legal responsibilities and the conditions therein of the Trustees, we plan to invite villagers to join an Action Group to drive the future sustainability of the playing field, under the direction of the Trustees.
We have had some volunteers already and would welcome further interest from any other villagers keen to participate. Please email Ruth Lees in the first instance –ruthlees123@aol.com
Thank you.
The Playing Field Trustees
Due to the uncertainty of the ongoing pandemic, the government regulations and inability to fundraise, the Trustees of the playing field took the responsible decision at the beginning of the year to allow the grass to grow as we did last year with the gathering of hay towards the end of July. We are fortunate in being able to ensure regular mowing of the paths through the field and around the play area. We would appreciate your views as to the way forward regarding the grass cutting of the field and would like to thank you all for your ongoing support and understanding especially during these extraordinary times we are living through. We are planning to have the grass cut on the top 5-a-side football pitch very soon
For the current government guidelines to be followed when using the Children’s Play Area as it is now open, please go to: https://www.nalc.gov.uk/library/news-stories/covid19/3292-bhib-councils-insurance-guidance-for-local-councils-reopening-playgrounds/file
The Trustees endeavour to spend any monies received by the charity wisely including the money received from the government last year knowing that this fund may need to keep the upkeep and maintenance of the playing field and play area going for some time yet. The annual financial outgoings include the water rates for the cricket pavilion, the annual safety inspection report and the insurance for the playing field and play area as well as the grass cutting and maintenance of surrounds and necessary signage. The Treasurer’s report will be accompanying the annual report on the website shortly.
Items recently purchased as required by our inspection report include two new bucket seats for the toddler’s swings, cricket nets, two new slab bases for the benches, two lorry loads of bark for the play area and gentle pigeon spikes to dissuade the pigeons from sitting on the top rails and contaminating the swings!
More saplings offered to us from ‘The Woodland Trust’ have been planted adding to the ones that are doing well from last year.
Commemorative solid brass pet plaques for the new bench can be ordered for you from the trustees for £20.00. All proceeds to go to The Ridlington Playing Field Charity.
Our next Trustees meeting is on 14th July and we are always open to suggestions as to what you would like, any help you can give, or any issues you would like to raise.
Thank you.
Ruth (Lees) on behalf of The Trustees of Ridlington Playing Field.
Email: ruthlees123@aol.com or drop a note in to Post Cottage, 5, Top Road, Ridlington
Tel 01572 821440
