Who runs the Rec?
Volunteering at the heart of the organisation
Fernhurst Recreation Ground Trust
fernhurstrecreationgroundtrust.org.uk
Does the cricket club run it? No.
Does the football or tennis club run it? No.
Does the Parish Council run it? No.
There are some misconceptions about our wonderful Rec so it is worth saying at the start that not a single penny from your council tax goes towards maintaining it. It is run by volunteers, which is how it all began in the middle of the Second World War when locals clubbed together to buy two fields from the Blackdown Estate … for £970! Since then villagers have provided the members of Fernhurst Recreation Ground Trust (FRGT), which is a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation). FRGT Chairman Charlie Scott says “One of our stated aims is to ensure the facilities are accessible regardless of age, infirmity or economic circumstances. We want the whole village to enjoy the Rec but I think everyone needs to understand there is a cost to maintaining the facilities. Visiting teams regularly compliment Fernhurst on its fantastic Pavilion and Rec and, of course, these don’t just happen by accident: a lot of hard work, by volunteers, goes into it.”
So where does the money come from? Membership subs from the three sports clubs pay for the running costs. This covers everything from cutting the grass to the dog waste bin. The Fern Café in the pavilion is contracted out to South Downs Coffee Ltd. The Recreation Ground receives a fee and a share of any rental income. Members of the clubs run their own operations and also form an executive management committee (ExCo) to run the pavilion and the rec. ExCo is overseen by the Trustees. Meanwhile, the children's playground is the responsibility of the Parish Council.
Charlie says “Cricket, Tennis and Football are all rent-paying tenants and are all involved with the running of the Rec. We are delighted with the Fern Cafe, which we think is an excellent facility, and that the Pavilion is being hired out for both private and business functions.”
Much local fundraising was needed to build the new pavilion: again, no money came from the county or district councils. The campaign ran from 2017 and continued despite lockdowns and the spike in inflation. Fernhurst is rightly proud of what it achieved. The large grants came from South Downs National Park Authority, the England Cricket Board and Sport England. There was also a grant from the Parish Council but much of it was by individual, private donations. Charlie says “The Rec is completely run by volunteers and we are always looking for additional help so if anybody would like to be involved please contact any of the Trustees or the Sports Clubs."
Email: contact@fernhurstpavilion.org.uk
FRGT Trustees: Charlie Scott, Bill Gourlay, Natalie Owles & Graham Heath.
Ex-Officio Trustees: Vicar of Fernhurst & Chair of Parish Council.
