Trustees
John Soady (Hon. Chair)
Harry Beckett (Hon. Secretary)
Bill Thorp
Malcolm Sowerby
Jill Gascoigne
Sue Beckett (Hon. Treasurer)
Denry Leighton
Sally Soady
History and present use of
the ground
The people of Bamford and Thornhill purchased the ground
from a local farmer in 1925 by public subscription for leisure use. It was established
as a trust within the trusteeship of The Bamford Institute. It was maintained
so until after the Second World War. From the Trusts’ inception until the
1950s it was used by the Bamford Institute Football Team, a Bamford Cricket Team, Hathersage Hockey Club and from the sixties
more widely by the village for other events including ‘whole site’ use by Bamford Carnival.
A small play area was established with limited appliances
in the sixties and later developed. Bamford School
uses a portion of ground in the summer.
An area has been planted with native trees to encourage
wildlife and a fenced off area has been provided for exercising dogs.
Bamford Sheep Dog Trials, a landmark trial association
in the district, has used the whole site since the 1930s for their annual event.
In the 1960s a residential caravan was provided for the
use of a warden to oversee the ground and pavilion as well as to deter growing vandalism.
The warden’s post still exists today with greater
responsibility as the Borough Council Dog Warden for the ground.
The scope of use for the ground has been widened to include
use by organisations outside the Village and even further afield largely to develop financial stability.
In the 1980s the Bamford Village Institute surrendered
the ground to the Charity Commission and set up a management trusteeship as a separate charity and this is the legal status
today.
Whilst guidance and support have been sought from Local Authority, the ground remains a charity in local
trusteeship and not part of any Authority ownership or funding arrangements.
Meetings
The Trustees meet in the Bamford Village Institute at 8.00 pm every 3rd Monday of the month. New members are always welcomed.
Bookings
Bookings for the sports pitches, the pavilion or whole site bookings should be made through the Secretary
and a charge will normally be levied.
Forthcoming Events
May 26th
Bamford
Sheepdog Trials, including Fell Race
Organised by Bamford Sheepdog Trials Assoc.
July Bamford Fell Race
Organised by Bamford Carnival Committee
July
19st Bamford Carnival
Organised by Bamford Carnival Committee
Grass Cutting
Future Projects
As we have been unable to obtain Lottery funding for a rebuild of the pavillion the Trustees are now planning
to upgrade it to a modern, warm and inviting Sports Pavilion
Why?
Bamford has the
largest sports ground in the Hope Valley
area, but it has the most primitive pavilion. It was built in 1930; it is very small; constructed from wood; it is in poor
repair, rotting; and upgrading now our only option. The size and position of the Ground make it ideally placed to support
the development of sports and other outdoor activities for the local community, and the Trustees have ambitious plans to expand
on the range of activities that take place here, with a particular focus on local children and young people. Pivotal to our
plans is the pavilion. We need to upgrade it.
What would be in the upgraded pavilion?
- Two sets of changing rooms, showers and toilets
- Kitchen and small meeting / teaching room
- Wheelchair accessible & disabled toilet
- Two secure storage areas, for the Recreation Ground and for Bamford Primary School
- External toilet facility
What’s in the Recreation Ground?
The Ground is
about 11 acres; it has three sports pitches and it serves as the sports ground for Bamford primary school. Uniquely, it contains
a significant area of ‘neutral unimproved grassland’, comprising several acres. This sustains a unique source
of bio-diversity typical of traditional hay meadows.
Outdoor activities in the Recreation Ground
|
School sports
|
Used as playing
fields by Bamford Primary School,
and the unimproved meadow provides opportunities for wildlife & ecology learning activities. |
|
Football
|
Bamford has 2
football clubs fielding 2 senior teams and 5 junior teams. Only Bakewell and Bamford in the Derwent Valley Leagues have 3
pitches, making it ideal for tournaments. |
|
Canoeing
|
We have now established
access for canoeing on the adjacent River Derwent, which is the only access to moving water in the Peak Park. |
|
Orienteering
|
The ground provides
a safe environment for young children, where they can be both supervised and given the freedom to explore. We have an orienteering
map, and a series of exercises for use by teachers and scout / guide groups are being developed. |
|
|
|
|
Family activities
|
The enclosed playground
area is well used by families on a daily basis, but currently without any accessible toilet facilities. We are planning to
upgade the Play Area. |
