The Hemingford Peace Memorial Field is a Charity set up in 1946 when Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Dewes Hayward left land for a playing field for the residents of the Hemingfords as a war memorial after World War II. It has six constituent clubs - Football, Cricket, Tennis, Bowls, Squash and the Sports and Social Club. The Playing Field was opened by film star Lana Morris in August 1949.
The Charity is run by a Management Committee, usually known as 'The Trustees', which contains representatives of the six clubs and Hemingford Grey and Hemingford Abbots Parish Councils. The day-to-day operation of the complex is delegated to the Sports and Social Club and to sub-committees, but the Management Committee levies charges on the clubs to meet running expenses.
In the early days changing rooms were provided in Nissen huts, but in 1964 a single storey wooden pavilion containing a hall and changing rooms was built at a cost of £6,000. In 1983, the pavilion was partially replaced by a two storey brick building containing new changing rooms and a new bar upstairs. This building cost £70,000, and was opened by John Major in September 1983.
By November 1998 the remaining wooden building had become unsafe and was replaced by a new two storey brick building comprising the Hayward Hall, the Manor Room, and new changing rooms. The bar was also refurbished. This project cost £250,000 and was opened by John Major in September 1999. |
