Playing Field

The Playing Field is Bucklesham’s most important asset. The field Trustees are the Parish Council, who are also the Management Committee. We are very fortunate to have the services of David Riddleston as our volunteer Playing Field Manager. The Parish Council pay external contractors for the grass cutting and for the Play Equipment Maintenance. The Parish Council are responsible for all the costs on the field including insurance and Play Equipment maintenance, and this is paid for in its entirety by Bucklesham residents from the precept through villagers Council Tax contributions.  

There is a large football pitch and we also have two concrete table tennis tables, just bring your own bats and balls.

We have an extensive children’s play area with swings, adventure trail, rope walks and obstacle courses and a massive climbing frame. There is also a smaller climber for toddlers and springy rockers too. The existing play equipment was installed in 2004 and is in need of replacement. Please see the initial report by our Clerk on replacing the play equipment here.

We could immediately see the need to update the equipment and agreed to go ahead with an exciting Play Equipment Replacement Project, working in conjunction with the Community Council and residents. For on-going news on the project please see our New Play Equipment Project Updates.

We have five large picnic benches seating up to eight people each, and park benches along the boundary.  

The Parish Council and David are ably helped by village FOPs; Friends Of the Playing field. There are lots of FOPs in Bucklesham, and we are always looking for more to join us. There is no commitment necessary, no meetings to attend, and no expectation of the amount of your involvement.  We just ask that those villagers who use the field regularly, or who live close by it, are another pair of eyes and hands to help us keep the field tidy, safe and secure and as a fantastic facility for us all to use.  As FOPs we can all help and support each other with the day to day running of the field in order that the responsibility for it does not fall on just a few people.  We all benefit from the field, and the Parish Councillors would like to ensure it is protected for future generations.

Working with the Woodland Trust and the Sicon foundation we planted a 'Woodland Walkway' in 2021 and have two Chat Benches donated by East Suffolk Council's Felixstowe Peninsular Community Partnership.

 

We added bike jumps in 2024 after a request from village children. All the materials necessary to build the jumps were very kindly donated by Jake Nichols of TRU7, and James Perks from Twisted Oaks Bike Park and Trails gave up days of his free time to plan, design and then construct the area for us.

A retyped version on the original 1972 Conveyance between Orwell Park Estate and the Bucklesham Parish Council can be viewed here. 

The Playing Field Rules For Use can be found here.

The latest RoSPA Report can be found here.

For more details about the Playing Field please contact the Parish Council Clerk at clerk@buckleshamparishcouncil.gov.uk