THE LUDLOW-HEWITT MEMORIAL PLAYING FIELDS, APPERLEY
Chairman: Mr B H Leeke, The Minstrels, Deerhurst, Glos GL19 4BX. Tel. No. 01684 292092.
Treasurer: Mr C Milner, Fern Cottage, School Lane, Apperley, GL19 4DJ. Tel. No. 01452 780 387.
Following the sale in 1979 of the Parish Allotments in Deerhurst village, an enclosure of five acres adjacent to Sawpit Lane at the entrance to Apperley village were purchased by Deerhurst Parish Council in 1981. The Allotments & Playing Fields facilities were thereafter progressively installed. The Playing Fields are administered by the above Association upon the Parish Council’s behalf. These Playing Fields are named after Mr Alfred Ludlow-Hewitt O.B.E. who farmed at Wightfield Manor, was Chairman of the Parish Council for many years and was a very kind benefactor to the Parishioners.
Ludlow Hewitt Memorial Playing Fields – History of events.
1970’s – Apperley Football Club (AFC) played on the Apperley Cricket Club’s (ACC) ground
1977 – ACC resurrected, AFC no longer allowed to play on the ACC ground
1977 – AFC approached Deerhurst Parish Council (DPC) for help to find a ground in the Parish
1978 – DPC sold approximately 17 acres of the former allotment land in Deerhurst village
1981 – DPC bought approximately 5 acres of land from Wightfield Manor, with the intention to install: Football pitches (adult & youth), All Weather Play Area (AWPA, now a Tennis Court), Allotments, Car Park, Apperley Village Hall (AVH) and Adventure Play Area
1982 – Deerhurst Parish Playing Fields Association (DPPFA), a charity, formed
1982 – 28 yr DPC/ DPPFA Lease signed
1983 – Football first played on the new pitch
1983 – Former Apperley Village Hall & car park sold (land now part of West View)
1984 – New Village Hall built
1985 – All Weather Play Area opened
1989 – Wickstead equipment installed (thanks to the Youth Club members: Heather Remblance, Sue Coggin, Sue Kilpatrick)
1993 – Changing room/ shower area added to the AVH
1995 – Improvements to Changing rooms/ showers. Tennis Club outer net replaced
1996 – Drainage of Playing Fields (funded by a Lottery grant)
2000 – Wickstead equipment moved (because of potential Affordable Homes site)
2001 – Wickstead equipment repainted
2001 – HAGS equipment installed (second hand from the Hare & Hounds Public House, Churchdown)
2005 – Youth Shelter installed
2009 – Equipment repainted
2010 – 28 year Lease ended
2011 – AWPA extended to full size tennis court
2012 – 2015 – New Lease saga, completed & signed
2015 – Dragonfly seesaw & two play items added
2015 – DPPFA – QE11 Playing Fields application approved – now accredited
2016 – Equipment repainted
2016/ 17 – Grants awarded (DPC, Glos County Council, Glos Playing Fields Association, Lottery Small Awards, Tesco, Tewkesbury Borough Council)
2017 – New Play Equipment and Fencing installed and additional seating provided.