About
St. Georges Recreation Ground and Public Hall.
Registered Charity Number 522557
St Georges Recreation Ground celebrates community spirit with a rich history of providing premier sports facilities and vibrant social events, fostering connections and lifelong memories.
Prospectus Summary
St Georges Recreation Ground was left to the villages of St. Georges and Priorslee and are managed by the Recreation Ground and Public Hall Management Committee who administer the maintenance of the grounds as a registered charity (Registered Charity Number 522557). It has provided leisure and sporting opportunities for the community for over 100 years and is run on a voluntary basis supported by income generated by St Georges Sports & Social Club and the volunteers who run the Social, Bowls, Cricket, Hockey and Flying (pigeon) Clubs. This organization takes responsibility for the provision of leisure and recreational facilities with little input from statutory organisations.
The “Object of the Foundation” as set out in the trust documents is: “the provision and maintenance of a public recreation ground and of a village hall (to be conducted in a suitable building to be erected on part of the land belonging to the Foundation) for the use of the inhabitants of the Urban District of Oakengates and the neighborhood thereof, and in particular (but not exclusively) those resident in the Ecclesiastical Parishes of St Georges and Priors Lee and the surrounding neighbourhood, without distinction of sex, race or of political, religious or other opinions, with particular reference to use for meetings, lectures, and classes and for other forms of recreation and leisure time occupation, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants.”
A Management Committee responsible for the management of the Recreation Ground charity meets monthly and is made up of a number of Charity Trustees, Officers, affiliated club representatives and other committee members. The Committee hold an annual AGM where committee members are appointed.
The Management Committee members as at May 2025 are:
- Chair and Charity Trustee – Gwynne Goodfield
- Vice Chair and Charity Trustee and Social Club Representative – Andrew Guy
- Treasurer and Charity Trustee – Jeffery Fletcher
- Secretary and Charity Trustee – Ashley Smith
- Charity Trustee – Ian Fletcher
- Charity Trustee – Veronica Fletcher
- Charity Trustee – Clive Freeman
- Charity Trustee – Ian Gaut
- Charity Trustee – David Lowe
- Charity Trustee and Cricket Club representative – Mike Waldron
- Bowling Club Representative – Matt Rhodes
- Flying Club Representative – Keith Rhodes
- Flying Club Representative – Glyn Preece
- Hockey Club Representative – Chris Nightingale
- Social Club Representative – Andrew Gajweski
- Co-opted member – Cllr Andy Harrison
- Co-opted member – Cllr Roy Williams
The facility on Church Street, is often referred to as the “Cricket Club” or the “Social Club” but in fact is much more than this. The Charity’s Management Committee delegate responsibility to a Social Club Committee that is responsible for running the bar & hall with the aim of generating a profit that is used to maintain the Social Club buildings and the upkeep of the extensive grounds. St Georges Recreation Ground is also home to affiliated Bowls, Cricket, Hockey & Pigeon Flying Clubs each with their own committees, providing a range of recreational activities and volunteering opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. Qualified volunteers provide coaching for boys and girls. The sporting clubs themselves maintain their playing areas almost entirely through the voluntary input of their members.
The Recreation Ground is used for many other and varied activities. There is a Children’s Playground well used by local young children. Dog and recreational walkers use the cricket fields every day of the year. As well as sporting activities the Recreation Ground is used simply by many as an open space, a chance to get fresh air in a peaceful setting, aiding wellbeing within an urban area with ever decreasing and less accessible green spaces.
Over 2600 events take place every year on the Recreation Ground, with over 23,000 people using the facility, many several times in the year, amounting to over 110,000 visits a year. For more detail see Appendix 1. These events include various sporting events (for detail see “Affiliated Clubs” section below) but also for example an annual fireworks display, summerfest, monthly quiz in aid of local charities, weekly bingo sessions, etc. providing leisure opportunities and entertainment for the whole family and local community. The armistice ceremony also takes place annually on the Recreation Ground where the Parish’s Memorial Gates are located.