The Memorial Playing Fields is one of the oldest areas of designated green space in the Parish of Thatcham. It originally comprised the home ground of Thatcham Town Cricket Club and a full-size football pitch.
General maintenance of the playing fields such as grass cutting, hedge clearance and tree management is undertaken by the Foundation. Enquires about general maintenance should be made to the Foundation’s office.
The waste management contract to include litter picking and emptying of the dog waste bins is administered by Thatcham Town Council. Enquiries about these services should be directed to the Council Offices, contact details on their website at thatchamtowncouncil.gov.uk/contact/.
Organised Activities and Events
The Memorial Playing Fields constitute the largest open space available to the public in the centre of the town and is served by additional facilities such as the hall, access to toilets and car parking for 130 vehicles, this means it is a great space to hold an event.
Travelling Fun Fairs and Circuses have visited the site since the 1950s and continue to do so today. A key activity on the site is Thatcham Car Boot run on the site since 2014 it operates between April and October each year.
It is hoped to return junior football pitches to the site in the future, as present the site is used by three local football clubs for junior training on a weekly basis. The Foundation is keen to support any local sports team in need of space to train or play.
Fun on the Field
Starting in 2019 the Foundation has worked alongside MoMo Events to deliver ‘Fun on the Field’ the site now hosts two events a year in Spring and Autumn. Centring on a display of classic and sports cars the event features a number of stalls and a variety of food and drink purveyors along with funfair rides and games provide for children and young people.
These events are delivered free of charge to the public, however, donations are asked for on the entrances to the ongoing costs of running the charity. The Foundation is grateful to a band of volunteers who support these events and often run an attraction such as the dog show at previous events.
Dog Walking
The primary purpose of the playing fields, by their very name, is to provide a space for organised sport and private recreation. The Foundation asks that dog owners take responsibility for their animals and be mindful of other users as well as the intended purpose of the site. Three dog waste bins are placed across the site, please refer overflowing bins to Thatcham Town Council who manage the collection contract. Bags for dog waste are provided free of charge by West Berkshire Council and re-stocked weekly by volunteers.
Dog owners are expected to be accountable for their animals, their own behaviour and by-products.
