Lift-off for Brassington`s new recreation ground

Brassington Parish Council spent many years in its efforts to purchase the field next to the Village Green, which will allow Brassington Football Club and other local junior teams to have a first class pitch adjacent to the village. It is also hoped to establish a ladies hockey team, rounders group and other activities.

When further funding is obtained, the ambitious scheme will later include a Multi-use Games Area for tennis and other sports as well a Pavilion building. The plan for the field was drawn up after a major series of consultations with residents of the Parish as to how they wished to see the field developed.

The Charitable Trust set up by Brassington Parish Council to now develop and manage the Ground has obtained grants totalling over £100,000 to allow this first major stage of the project to proceed. In addition to funding from Brassington Parish Council, generous grants have been provided of £60,000 from Sport England, £40,000 from the Exton Trust, £10,000 from Hoben International, £3,000 from Acclaim Housing and an offer of material and financial support from Longcliffe Quarries as the project develops.

Brassington`s new Ground is part of the programme to protect 2012 outdoor recreational spaces in communities all across the country as a permanent living legacy of the Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge headed by its Patron, The Duke of Cambridge and operated by Fields in Trust.

Commenting on the start to development the Trust`s Chairman, Andrew Mason and Parish Council Chairman, Mrs Pat Horrocks said, “We greatly appreciate the financial support of our sponsors, which allows us to commence the first stage of the development and provide a fantastic recreational area for the people of Brassington and surrounding areas. Every effort will be made to ensure the minimum inconvenience to local residents while this work is carried out.”