Bullock Park
Exciting Plans for Bullock Park and Shipdham
In the past Shipdham has had a number of halls that have sadly been lost owing to changing circumstances over the years. The village currently does not have a hall building which is fit for the future of our growing village. Bullock Park Management Committee and Shipdham Parish Council in partnership have started a project to see if we can build a new community hall and expand the park for Shipdham.
This all started with Bullock Park Management Committee some months ago bringing together all interested parties; Shipdham Parish Council, Shipdham Community Centre Trust and Shipdham Bowls Club, with the idea of combining assets across the village to support building a new community building and bowls green at Bullock Park. This resulted in a group of 6 volunteers who are leading on this project currently.
In February 2023, the first major milestone of the project was achieved through all the interested parties formally agreeing to a proposed new community building and combining assets. Plus an initial budget has been allocated for professional fees in order to start the next phase of the project which includes fees such as architects.
Our vision is to build a new large community building with facilities fit for the village into the future. This would include areas such as large meeting rooms (e.g. for events, groups and families as well as meetings), indoor sports facility, kitchen facilities, changing rooms, and an outdoor bowls green along with an expanded park. We will of course be talking to the village later in the project to see whether other facilities may be required within the building.
This project of course will take some time and we have put an estimate of up to 5 years for completion. We will be looking for funding through grants as well as other areas of funding once we have a clearer indication of the full project costs.
In the next few months we will be inviting residents of the village to become involved in the project. We would love to hear from you if you have skills which could help support the project on a voluntary basis (such as Project Management, previous building projects, etc). Please contact Shipdham Parish Clerk in the first instance at clerk.shipdham@btconnect.com
Bullock Park Further Development Plan
Committee 2023/24
Chair – Paul Chubbock
Vice-Chair – Cllr Shelley
Clerk – June Smith
Treasurer – Sarah Howlett
Football – Sarah Howlett
Judo – Bob Hunter
Parish Council – Cllr Shelley & Cllr Cross
Church Council – John Larwood
Spitfires – Tracey Reynolds
Hire of Pavilion
This has a full kitchen facility including fridge/freezer and dishwasher and will comfortably seat 60. It is ideal for children’s Birthday parties with a large pleasant grass area with picnic tables and play area.
Current Activities:
Mon p.m. Judo
Tues p.m. Martial Arts
Weds p.m. Free
Thurs p.m. Beavers, Cubs & Scouts
Fri p.m. Martial Arts
Sat/Sun a.m. Football
The pavilion is available for hire at all other times either for regular or casual use, please contact Sarah Howlett on 01362 820047 for more details.
Users in addition pay for electricity via a coin -in the-slot meter
Email: BullockPark@outlook.com
History
In 1927, seven acres of land to be known as Bullock Park was gifted by Richard Haggard to the residents of Shipdham Parish for the purposes of “recreation and the playing of games. For this stated purpose and specifically excluding any other use, the gift was registered with the Charities Commission. The land was vested to be held in Trust by Shipdham Parish Council . The Park was to be run by a Management Committee of six consisting of two representatives of the Parish Council, two representatives from Sports clubs, the Rector of Shipdham Parish and Mr. Haggard. All members had to live within the Parish and were required to resign if they moved out.
The first committee’s development plan was to plough and seed rough ground to extend the area of mown grass and raise funds to provide a children’s play area and build a Pavilion. They decided to fund raise by holding an annual Grand Fete on August Bank Holiday Monday and having a September door to door collection by Committee members and Parish Councillors. Park Highatt, a well known villager and Sports Club representative on the Committee was elected as Executive Officer to run the Park reporting back to the Committee at its quarterly meetings. The Committee was given the right to make Bye-laws to ensure the Park was properly used and respected.
In the 30’s, the plantation to the right of the lane was added to the gift with the occupants of Hall Farm retaining a right of access along it and subsequently this lane was re-classified as a Restricted right of way.
After Park Higgatt’s management ceased Bullock Park has had a chequered history. Reading its Minute books is to learn about village politics. It was the 50’s before a children’s Playground was established. Bowling greens and Tennis Courts have been and gone. There was even a plan for a Speedway track which didn’t get supported. The design of the current Pavilion (which replaced a Tin Hut) was constantly altered to accommodate favoured activities of the time.
And to date?
After inheriting a facility which had been kept going but was deteriorating, the current committee has been together for 3 years. We have forged a good working relationship with the Parish Council and have made some real progress.
We have worked our way through a Pavilion maintenance backlog, installed new windows doors and floodlights, have worked with the Recreation Project and contributed to the new Play facilities, have removed dead trees and weed killed, fertilised and seeded all mown areas. This work is ongoing and we still have things to do before we can truly say that the Committee are satisfied.