Volunteers are still needed for the Management Committee

We still require 3 additional committee members if we are to keep each responsibility to a manageable level for unpaid volunteers. Could you be one of those volunteers?

We meet every 6 to 8 weeks and discuss

*    Maintenance and improvements to the playing field

*    Finances and grant applications

*    Anything that needs organising such as holiday coaching, work parties or special events.  

The Bardwell Playing Field Association is a registered charity and all the committee members are charity trustees. Although all the committee members have specific responsibilities they do not work in isolation as all decisions have to be joint committee decisions, the committee members work as a team.

These are the positions we need volunteers for:

1.    Fund Raising Events Co-ordinator.  There are two events per year. For several years the playing field and church have held a successful joint fete in June, everyone does their bit and the co-ordinator pulls it all together. The second event of the year has been held in the Tithe Barn in the autumn, for the last few years this has been a popular Quiz Night.   

2.    Responsibility for the Children’s Play Area. This includes keeping a record of the weekly, monthly and annual safety checks and organising any maintenance that is necessary. The play area is continually being upgraded and items of equipment replaced. There are grants available but these need to be applied for and followed through. The secretary has been doing this as well as the other tasks so it cannot, on its own be too difficult or onerous. There is a great deal of satisfaction to be had from keeping this popular and well used part of the playing field in good condition.

3.    Publicity. This entails -

*  Producing and distributing posters to advertise fund raising events, special events such as the school holiday sports coaching and advertising the AGM and the MUGA facility. Organising sign boards for the fete.

*  Occasionally contacting the local press

*  Writing the monthly articles for this magazine to keep the village aware of what is happening at the playing field.

-    Difficult to do without a computer and internet access.

4.    Contact for Suffolk ACRE and the Charity Commission plus responsibility for insurance. Suffolk ACRE provides a wealth of information and advice to voluntary groups running village facilities such as village halls and playing fields; we also use their insurance advisor. The charity commission require a charity to be run in a certain manner and an annual return has to be completed every year.

5.   Minutes Secretary Basic computer skills and access to the internet essential

Not many villages the size of Bardwell have facilities like this which have been owned and managed by the village since 1969. If you think it is important to keep the playing field functioning as a well-run village facility, please consider volunteering. The work load is not onerous if there are sufficient committee members.

For more information or to volunteer use the contact form.