History

A public meeting was held on 12th December 1944 when it was decided to inaugurate a Scheme for commemorating the Peace. For this purpose Hemingford Grey and Hemingford Abbots should combine. The form which the memorial was to take was that of a playing field to serve the needs of the two villages.

The thought of thanksgiving for victory. A tribute to all those who served their country The provision of something which would be of permanent value to residents and their children. The form which the memorial is to take is that of a playing field to serve the needs of the two villages.

Construction of the first Pavilion, Cricket pitch, Football Pitch, Hockey Pitch, Two tennis courts, Bowling green and Children’s play area

The Nissen Huts served their purpose for many years but were eventually replaced in 1964.

One of the reasons given was that a long six from the cricket square landing on the hut resulted in showers of rust falling onto the cricketers sandwiches.

A stunning areal photo of the complex before the days of drone photography!

The Sports Academy, a non profit making organisation, was set up in 2003 by David Morgan, a village resident, to develop a Cambridgeshire based centre of excellence for young squash players. A fourth squash court was required, with a viewing area, if Hunts County Squash wished to apply to run National Championships and create capacity for increased coaching time. A planning application for a fourth glass back court with viewing area and an improved clubhouse for the bowls club and its members was approved in July 2004.

The Hayward Hall benefited from a £13,000 refurbishment funded by grants from The National Lottery and AmeyCespa. New chairs, refurbished floor and state of the art audio visual system were installed.

In January 2013 the Manor Room benefited from a £10,000 refurbishment funded by The National Lottery and funds provided by the Trustees.

New chairs and tables, a multi purpose floor and state of the art audio visual equipment were installed.

Hunts Post Article

A project to improve disabled access was undertaken including: installation of an outside stair lift, widening access doors, improving lighting, installing grab handles and the marking out of a disabled parking bay. This work was financed by a grant from The National Lottery

During the years of 2020 and 2021 the Pavilion and most Sporting Activities were shut down in line with Government Restrictions.

During these times volunteers made the best of this opportunity to maintain the buildings and services to the benefit of all those that enjoy this great facility.

In late February 2025, an array of 35 solar panels with batteries was commissioned with a £15,000 grant from the Green Business Impact Programme led by local Councils with support from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, delivered by Allia Impact and PECT. This production of renewable energy is an important part of the Pavilion’s Roadmap to Net Zero and will result in significant savings in electricity costs for many years.