Come and join us for an evening playing softball on Thursday evenings, 6 pm at the Rec field in Gidding.
We’re all beginners (adults and juniors alike) but gradually learning the rules, and it’s a lot of fun. If you enjoy being outside, and being part of a team, come along but just remember to wear trainers. All other equipment provided.
Please email Stuart Kearey if you would like more details.
Those of you who relish the idea of the community doing its “bit” will be heartened to learn that over three weekends in the last few weeks various community tasks have been undertaken to address seasonal growth and get the playing field back into shape.
First up the Gidding Gobblers minus the lycra set about the Village Hall car park boundary. The usual – hawthorn and bramble were cut back to expose the perimeter fence and the road boundary hedge. Maintenance to the fences was also undertaken.
The following weekend the front boundary hedge of the Jubilee Wood which was so skilfully laid last winter was trimmed up along with some strimming to the pond and barrows.
The weekend after a small team assembled at the Recreation Field to reinstate the goal crossbar (previously taken into storage because of theft and /or vandalism) Another task undertaken was to dig some sockets into the field for the junior goals to be reinstated. These will go up early in the new year and they are much closer to the field entrance rather than pushed over to the far end of the field.
Users of the trim trail will no doubt be aware that because of rot in the timbers some of the units are starting to disappear. The Recreation field management are keeping a close eye on this but do not despair, plans are bubbling under for a touch of renovation/replacement but it will require the community to engage.
Thanks to all who gave up their Saturday mornings to help. If you missed out then I’m sure there will be other opportunities in 2018
their Saturday mornings to help. If you missed out then I’m sure there will be other opportunities in 2018
Just a reminder that the Cambridgeshire mobile library visits our village on the 3rd Thursday of every month and from the start of April 2017 the new times will be from 12.40pm to 12.55pm.
The library stops in the lay-by in front of the recreation ground and carries a selection of books, audio tapes and DVDs. To use the library you just need a library card issued from any library in Cambridgeshire. If there’s a particular book you require you can order it for the next visit.
A selection of books, audio tapes and DVDs
If you have any questions you can contact Ally at ally.clarke@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Organiser Julie Trolve says
Looking out of the window today at the grim weather, to cheer me up, I thought about what to pack in my picnic hamper/sandwich box for The Big Lunch – would it be a pork pie or a crunchy salad. Start planning your picnic as The Big Lunch is coming soon – Sunday 12th June on the Recreation Field. Start time is 12.30pm and stay as long as you wish.
As Her Majesty is celebrating her Birthday on that day, she has pencilled the date in her diary and hopes to put in an appearance, maybe Gidding should help her celebrate – bring bunting, banners, hats, streamers to decorate the field.
Event post: http://www.thegiddings.org.uk/2016/06/the-big-lunch-2/
Read about The Big Lunch in Great Gidding in 2013
The Big Lunch is the UK’s annual get-together for neighbours, an idea from the Eden Project made possible by The Big Lottery Fund. It’s the perfect recipe for having fun with your neighbours, feeding community spirit and helping to build stronger neighbourhoods. People are the key ingredient, with those taking part creating friendlier communities in which they start to share more, from conversation and ideas to skills and resources. The Big Lunch is calling on communities to take part this year and host their own Big Lunch events on Sunday June 12th 2016.
The present committee will not be seeking re election. Therefore a new management committee must be found or the Village Hall may have to close until a way forward is found.
The Village Hall has been thoroughly modernised internally and is a very useful meeting space or event function location.
The Recreation Field is a valued asset and has just been awarded Fields In Trust status.
If you would like to help then please attend the next committee meeting or the May 12th AGM.
Monday 12th May from 7.30pm
Parishioners are welcome to attend all meetings which are usually held in one of the side rooms of the Village Hall. Start time 7.30pm
The next meeting will be on
Date 12th May 2014
Venue Village Hall meeting room
Time 7:30pm
Members of the public are welcome to attend. This is the AGM where a new committee will be elected and matters concerning the Village Hall and the Recreation Field will be discussed. They are your facilities, please show your support.
Thank you
Youngsters will be delighted to try out the new play pieces on Great Gidding Recreation Field. Some of the elements of the older play equipment are showing their age so the Parish Council and the Recreation Field committee sought out some funding and quotes for replacement items which have now been installed and judging by the muddy grass have been thoroughly tested.
Particular thanks to Councillor James for her work in sourcing the funding and quotes to get the play equipment updated.
The wooden pavilion has been taken down for safety reasons, the upkeep and maintenance were considered to be prohibitive given the poor usage and the petty vandalism that occurred in recent times. It makes it easier to decide about a replacement structure should the need arise.
I for one have enjoyed numerous sports and field activities that the pavilion afforded us not least the many barrels of beer that David Shepherd supplied for the cricket fixtures. It really was an idyllic village cricket field scene even when it rained. However things move on and hopefully a new Village Hall and Recreation Field committee will see the potential to reinstate some sort of functional building.
The sun shone for the annual ‘Big Lunch’ and ‘Have a Field Day’ on the recreation field in Great Gidding on Sunday 2nd June. Picnics and drinks were followed by a well fought rounders match (which ended in a very fair draw)! Free kites and footballs supplied by the ‘Fields in Trust’ scheme kept the children (of all ages) amused.
Thanks to Michael and Julie Trolove, Paul Hodson and many others for organising the event.
Sunday, June 2nd on Great Gidding Recreation Field and if even just the weather repeats itself as last year then it will be a grand day out.
The Big Lunch is all about community coming together to share a meal which in our case is more of a picnic but the aims are still the same. Meeting neighbour’s and villagers who you don’t often see, catching up with all the latest news or just taking up the challenge of the mass rounders game.
Have a Field Day is the formal recognition that our Recreation Field is now in trust and will never be built on
Details of the Big Lunch nationally can be found with this link
Date – Sunday 2nd June
Time – 12:00 until 4:00pm
Fields in Trust are giving you the chance to show how much you value your favourite outdoor recreational space, playground or park with Love Your Field. If it’s somewhere you enjoy spending time with family and friends then why not help it be a winner?
Find your favourite local site by putting your postcode into www.qe2fields.com and then clicking on the Love Your Field icon.
And if you want it to win, spread the word! #loveyourfield on twitter