Category: Playing Field

About, Events, Village Fair, Bonfire, Cricket, Football.

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HDCC Survey Results

8 of 10 respondents to our village survey are in support of building a new Village Hall and Sports Pavilion at the Playing Field

Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the survey and to share their views with us. The great news is we had 131 responses to our survey which means we have a good representative sample from the parish and user groups outside of the village. The full details of the survey and all the verbatim comments can be found on the HDCC website www.newvillagehall.co.uk

 

 

Executive Summary

  • 83% of respondents agree that Hadlow Down needs a new high quality Village Hall and Sports Pavilion for use by the whole community.
  • The survey has given us plenty of evidence that supports the new proposal, particularly from a wealth of verbatim comments which are centred on the need for new modern facilities, improved access and a “community building’ for sports recreation, social events, education and entertainment.
  • Usage of our current facilities has been very similar across both sites with the village hall being used quarterly or more by 46.6% of respondents and the Pavilion 46.1% respectively within the last year. Key reasons for this low usage has been cited as poor access, limited parking, poor toilets and changing facilities in worn out/old buildings.
  • The survey data tells us that this usage would increase in the future with better facilities and a broader range of activities. Respondents want to continue with current social events but also want a New Village Hall and Sports Pavilion to provide the community with some new choices for both the old and young, such as baby and toddler groups, after school clubs, adult education classes, gardening club, community cinema, Information Technology, health and well-being, martial arts, sports coaching, art classes coffee hub, office hub etc. These make for an exciting new community space in the village.
  • There is clear support from the village community with half of the people surveyed willing to provide their personal time to progress the project in some way, offering word of mouth support, helping with door to door distribution and helping with fundraising and organising events.
  • On the other hand, there are still 17% against the proposal. Whilst these respondents currently have low usage of the current facilities their views are still important to us. Their key reasons for not supporting the proposal are that they state that the current facilities are already adequate and the new building would be too large and costly, as well as being concerned that it will bring more traffic and noise pollution to Hadlow Down. Whilst we recognise we may not change their views, we are committed to further consultation and communication for the whole community as we progress.

Continue reading “HDCC Survey Results”

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HDCC Survey and Q&A meeting

 

Hadlow Down Community Centre (HDCC) would like to thank all respondents that have taken the time to complete our survey since the consultation period opened on 3rd July.

If you haven’t yet completed it, there is still plenty of time to give your views.

HDCC is proposing to build a new Village Hall and Sports Pavilion at the Playing Field. The new building will include a much larger main hall, more adequate storage spaces, a meeting room and modern kitchen facilities. Much needed changing facilities, showers, storage, club room and a bar are also planned. There will be parking for 43 cars, including 5 spaces for disabled users, 10 bicycle parking spaces and 20% of the car parking spaces will be fitted with electric charging points.

Methodology

Hadlow Down residents, along with Village Hall and Pavilion users, are invited to complete an on-line survey here

HDCC Survey

If you would prefer to complete a paper copy of the survey please email Geoff Gregory geoff.gregory@outlook.com or call 07936 678891
Delivery and collection will then be arranged. A pre-paid return envelope can be provided, if you would prefer to remain anonymous.

Comments will be published anonymously with the report.

Results will be independently verified and reported to parishioners in the Village Magazine, on the Village Website and on the HDCC website.

How can I give my views?

The consultation period will begin on the 3rd July and will run for a period of three weeks, closing on 24th July.

Parishioners and current user groups from both the Village Hall and Sports Pavilion are invited to respond. You can find out more about the project either on our website www.newvillagehall.co.uk or in our latest newsletter here

Join us at our Q & A meeting

There will be a public meeting to be held in the Village Hall on Thursday 20th July (7.30 pm) which we hope will achieve several things:-

  • After the AGM held in February and the feedback we received, we would like to invite parishioners to a public meeting. HDCC would like to provide an opportunity for those concerned about the project to share their thoughts and ask any questions they may have. We ask that questions be submitted in advance in order that we can respond fully and in detail.
  • Many of you have been wondering if the project is still alive and the meeting will enable us to reassure local people that we are attempting to move forward;
  • If we can attract new residents to the parish to attend the meeting, they will be made aware of the project and what we hope to achieve – who knows, they may want to get involved!!
  • It will give us an opportunity to encourage all those present to complete the online survey so that we get a high response level.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Q & A session, please send your questions to Mandy Chapman

mandy.chapman45@googlemail.com to arrive by 18th July

You can still submit your views until by taking our online survey here
The survey remains open until 24th July 2023

 

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“Pop Up Suppers” at the Pavilion return

Summer is here! And our successful Pop-up suppers return to the Pavilion at the Playing Field.

We hope you will join us for a 3-course meal in good company and raise funds for the Playing Field at the same time.

Bring your own drinks – everything else is provided.

When the weather is fine, tables are set out on the veranda.

If you have any special dietary requirement, please let us know when booking. To book please call Glenys on 01825 830857.

Three courses for £20.

Dates are:

  • Friday, June 9th – Moroccan menu
  • Friday, July 7th – Italian menu
  • Friday, August 11th – Spanish menu
  • Friday, September 15th – Indian menu
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Bonfire Celebrations Sadly Cancelled


Following on from an inspection of the Playing Field this morning – Guy , David and I ( and the wider HDPFA committee) have taken the sad and hard decision to cancel this year’s Bonfire Night.

The reasons behind this decision are :

  • Saturated ground conditions and standing water
  • The forecast Wind speed on Saturday night is too high
  • The Bonfire would propose a risk with the forecast wind speed

We would like to thank all of the volunteers involved who have been involved in the build up to the event for all of their hard work and our generous sponsors too who we will be in touch with directly.

Please make a date for your diary of November 4th 2023 for next year’s Bonfire.

With thanks

Fi and the HDPFA team.

 

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Bonfire Night Celebrations at The Playing Field

The Hadlow Down Playing Field Committee look forward to welcoming the villagers of Hadlow Down to the annual Bonfire and Fireworks display on November 5th.

Delicious Flapjacks, Toffee Apples, Hot Chocolate ,Tea and Coffee will be available alongside Cider , Sussex Ale, Mulled Wine ,Red and White Wine , soft drinks and traditional hot dogs and burgers .

Your safety is paramount at this event , so please dress accordingly with stout and waterproof footwear ( as the field will be very muddy ) and warm clothing especially hats and gloves. Please do pay attention to The Marshalls at the event ,as they are there to ensure your safety.

Children under 16 years of age must be very closely supervised by a responsible adult at ALL times especially in the vicinity of the Firesite.

We do not allow Dogs or any Pets at this event ,so please keep them safely indoors.

Parking : Please respect your neighbours , especially those neighbouring the Playing Field and where at all possible, leave your cars at home and walk down to The Playing Field.

Wilderness Wood have very kindly offered their parking at the wood for residents and guests alike.

Timings :

  • 6.00pm Gates open to public at the playing field for refreshments *
  • 7.15pm Torch Lit Procession starts to form up outside The New Inn
  • 7.30pm Procession departs New Inn and proceeds along short route to Playing Field.
  • 7.45pm The Traditional chant will be recited and torches are cast onto the Bonfire.
  • 8.45pm The Spectacular Firework Finale will commence.(will not exceed 10 mins)
  • 11.00pm Bar closes and site is secured for the night.

*This is different from what has been published in the official Bonfire Programme which says 7 p.m – our error – sorry . Feel free to come down to the Playing Field from 6 p.m

We look forward to seeing you all and please do give generously on the night as this is a fundraising event for the maintenance and upkeep of The Playing Field.

Please keep safe !

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The Big Village Picnic has been cancelled

The Big Village Picnic has now been cancelled as a mark of respect given the recent sad announcement of the Queen’s death.

The Village Fayre Committee are pleased to be hosting
The Together We Can
Big Village Picnic
at 12 noon on Sunday 11th September, Hadlow Down Playing Field

 

A free community event for Hadlow Down Residents. Bring your own picnic and seating or book a fancy picnic table, in the comfort of our beautifully decorated canvas marquee. Gates will open at 12pm. Many of our Village Associations will be there offering refreshments and entertainment. We hope you will join us and meet with neighbours old and new for an afternoon of fun. Karaoke and open mic spots will run from the Pavilion stage later in the afternoon. Families can either bring their own picnics and enjoy the event and music or alternatively, simply turn up as food and drink will be available to purchase at the event.

Our aim is to bring everyone together again post pandemic. Perhaps you would like to find out more about what goes on in the village! Are you a newcomer? Hadlow Down is a wonderfully vibrant community with lots of lovely outdoor spaces, clubs and societies. This is your chance to see what we are all up to and join in if you’d like to. A fun afternoon celebrating what a great village we are, introducing newcomers to all that we have to offer and hopefully generating interest for more people to get involved

Big Village Picnic FAQ’s

Do I need a ticket?

No, this is a free community event funded as part of the *Together We Can initiative for local residents to enjoy.

*The Parish Council is funding The Big Village Picnic through a grant secured from the National Lottery

Is there parking at this event?

There is limited free parking at the Playing Field. Please walk to the event if possible.

What time does the Event start?

12 noon

What time does the event finish?

6 pm

How much is a Fancy Picnic Table?

Bookings are £15 per table, each table seats up to 6.
Each booking includes a dressed table and 6 chairs in the marquee. Tables will be allocated on a first come first served basis. All proceeds will be donated to the New Village Hall.
For table bookings and enquiries please contact Mandy mandy.chapman45@googlemail.com

Can I perform my own song as part of the open mic?

Please contact Pete to discuss your backing track and any other requests for the open mic session
strevens68@gmail.com

What else will be at the event?

Tea and cake – run by EnGage TN22 Clubs
Botanical Pimms Stall – run by the Horticutural Society
“Walk on the Wild Side” launch – by the Playing Field Committee
St. Mark’s School and Wings to Fly – Craft Activities
Harveys Stall and Prosecco Bar – run by the New Village Hall Committee
Kit Wilson Trust
Together we Can, Time Pledging – run by Village Fayre Committee
Karaoke and Open Mic from 3pm – contact Pete for more details
Street Food and lots more!

Connecting people to the Village we live in is key to the survival of our community life. We hope to inspire some of you to become a “Village Maker”. Our initiative is a simple one, can you spare a few hours to support our Village? You don’t need to join a committee or commit to regular times. We hope you might pledge some time to support our various initiatives and societies. We know that many of you would love to be more connected to the Village. We believe this model suits people from different backgrounds who want to offer different commitment levels to volunteering, rather than feeling overwhelmed by regular lengthy meetings with a lot of people you don’t know!

Simply pledge some time at the Big Village Picnic and let us know what you are interested in. We will match village projects and activities with your skills, interests and time commitment. This makes so much sense as having larger numbers of volunteers and supporters, who give smaller amounts of volunteering time can add up to considerable support for our wonderful village. So many of you stepped up during the pandemic we know that there is a real willingness to get involved and help out if you can.

We hope you will come along and say “hello!” the days of saying hello to strangers in the street, on a bus, or at the park have sadly pretty much become a thing of the past. Most of us have spent too much time on our own over the past two years or so and now is the moment to get back out there; make connections with people young and old. We are so looking forward to seeing you.

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A date for your diary !

The Village Fayre Committee are pleased to be hosting

The Together We Can
Big Village Picnic
Sunday 11th September, 12-6 at Hadlow Down Playing Field

A free community event for Hadlow Down Residents. Bring your own picnic and seating or book a fancy picnic table, in the comfort of our beautifully decorated canvas marquee. Gates will open at 12pm.

Many of our Village Associations will be there offering refreshments and entertainment. We hope you will join us and meet with neighbours old and new for an afternoon of fun. Karaoke and open mic spots will run from the Pavilion stage later in the afternoon. Families can either bring their own picnics and enjoy the event and music or alternatively, simply turn up as food and drink will be available to purchase at the event.

For all the details please head over to the Village Fayre pages here