Welcome to our site, which provides details about the ambitious re-development of the once derelict recreation field on Granborough Road between North Marston and Granborough. Our plan to create a top class recreation facility is almost complete with only the new Clubhouse building and car park remain to find funding for and build.

Not a lot of people know this

North Marston Parish Council (NMPC) bought the field back in 1936 to provide its residents with a place for recreational use. The field fell into disrepair about seventeen years ago and had been used primarily to graze sheep together with the odd village event until the re-development project began in earnest late 2006.

The project is very ambitious and in total requires funding of around £190,000. The Working Party has been busy since Summer 2007 applying for grants and organising local fund raising events such as the Spring and Christmas Plant Sales, Race Night, Boys Night, Girls Night and Quiz Night. And we launched a 100 Monthly Prize Draw Club in the Summer of 2009.

We’ve enjoyed great success with grants totalling circa £100,000 from a variety of grant givers including: AVDC’s Voluntary Sector Fund, WREN and AVDC & VAHT’s Community Chest Fund. In partnership with the Cricket Club we were also successful in receiving a grant from Awards for All of £10,000. Including local fund raising activities we have raised in excess of £130,000 so far, which is a fantastic achievement so THANK YOU to all who have supported our efforts.

The planning application for the new clubhouse building was approved by AVDC in February 2009 so now we are working to raise circ £80-90k to build it. You can see how the planned building will look by clicking here.

The field’s new grass is settling in so hopefully the pitches for cricket and football will be fully useable in 2010. We would welcome any volunteers to help with cricket wicket and general ground maintenance so if you can help please scontact Trevor Lane by Trevor Lane.

The project has enjoyed some decent press coverage and has been visited twice now by Buckinghamshire’s Internet news site www.buckstv.co.uk. Go to their site and type in North Marston to bring up both reports, the most recent being from the Celebration Ceremony for grant givers on July 1st.

As ever this project is for the benefit of residents in both North Marston and Granborough. Anyone wishing to make any suggestions, wanting to help or make a donation should contact anyone on the working party team.

Site last updated 2nd December 2009