Goostrey Playing Fields (VHPFF)
Village Hall and Playing Fields Foundation
The History of Goostrey Village Hall and Playing Fields Foundation
Sports in Goostrey began in the 1920s The VHPFF, a non profit making Charitable Trust WAS FOUNDED in the 1960s to provide sports in the village of Goostrey. The organisation did not at that time own any land and arranged sports on local fields thanks to the the good will of local farmers.
During the 1960s the VHPFF with Congleton Borough Council,Cheshire County Council and Goostrey Parish Council raised funds to construct the Village Hall and new school. The VHPFF owns a section of this property and assists to run the Village Hall under a joint use agreement with Goostrey Parish Council and Cheshire East Council but has no income or resistibility for the Hall
WITHOUT THE FULL AGREEMENT OF THE TRUSTEES TO THE VHPFF THIS DOCUMENT AND ITS CONTENTS MAY NOT BE CHANGED
In the 1980s the organisation began to flounder and did not actively promote sport . It had however by that time acquired a piece of land adjacent to the Crown Inn car park.
At the same time a group of parents were having problems finding space for their families to play and began to meet in an attempt to find some sports facilities. They were unaware of the VHPFF , and called themselves GRASS Goostrey Recreation and Sports Society.
Over a few years Grass raised its profile and held social gathering and fundraising activities in the village with the aim of obtaining some land to create a community venue.
It held a wide variety of functions from a Sports match against Man City veterans (including Internationals ) through to music shows, dances ,whist drives, sports days and to a plant sale which is still running and raises valuable funds.
When the trustees to the VHPFF saw the impetus of the community they suggested that Grass should become active in the VHPFF.
They joined the charitable trust under the watchful eye of the trustees and as momentum increased they obtained residential planning consent for the land adjacent to the Crown Inn and sold the land for a profit to be retained by the trustees as capital towards fund raising and purchasing land.
Eventually the land on Booth Bed Lane, now the playing fields was purchased freehold by the VHPFF from Cheshire County Council.
The foundation then owned a piece of farmland and the community began the hard work on a voluntary basis
A local farmer raked the ground. The local residents walked many times over the land collecting stones and the farmer donated and spread grass seed.
The football pitch was created and played upon.
Planning consent was obtained for a sports fields as they stand at present and competitive tenders were obtained for the facilities excluding the pavilion.
With the voluntary assistance of a local architect and quantity surveyor the bowling green, Astroturf pitch and car park were constructed.
Having provided all but the changing facilities a successful bid to the National Lottery was made by the VHPFF whilst fund raising and community functions continued.
Eventually the pavilion was constructed and the playing fields as we know them were completed.
The facilities have since then been run by the VHPFF under the rules of the charity commission and the trust deed and the trustees are still looking forward to develop the facilities and maximise their use by the community of Goostrey.
The facilities are run by the trustees on a voluntary basis, each trustee representing a section of the community,
Residents of Goostrey in effect own and use playing fields.
Particular thanks should be given to:-
ORIGINAL TRUSTEES
Bob Watts
Geoff Basford
Mary Hooley
John Baxter
Hugh Rees
GRASS
Bill Craig
Jay Ashall
Willie Dudgeon
Bill Ollier
Rob Goodwin
Martin Leake
ALL MEMBERS OF GRASS FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE
OFFICERS AND LONG STANDING TRUSTEES
Sally Ball
Roger Rushton
ALL CURRENT AND PAST TRUSTEES OF VHPFF
all of whom have acted on a totally voluntary basis to create. manage and run the facilities.
