Stanley Park Highlights of 2023

Taking some time to reflect on the highlights of 2023 at Stanley Park Sports Ground

We employed our first Apprentice Grounds person on an 18-month apprenticeship who is studying Level 2 Sports Turf Operative in partnership with Wiltshire College. This is an excellent course, and our new team member is settling in well.

In the spring edition of the Town Council’s Talk newsletter, we produced an article that focused on the volunteers we work with. Volunteers are at the heart of grassroots football; they devote their time and energy to encouraging young people. You can read the article HERE.

We are working in partnership with the Football Foundation which has been commissioned for the installation of a new 3G All Weather Football Pitch, the planning is well underway. We hope the addition of the new 3G pitch will enable access to many more local groups to enjoy football in all weathers, all year round.

We have implemented a range of environmental improvements on site, these include Air Source Heat Pumps, solar panels, recyclable water system wash down pad for all grounds care equipment, and the creation of a wildflower meadow within the car park area. You can read more about these HERE.

We started a drainage reconstruction plan, aiming to improve the drainage of all community pitches with brand new primary drainage being installed in yearly stages. This plan aims to benefit all community grass pitch users and will lead to fewer cancelations throughout the winter months.

We have been working with Chippenham Sports Partnership for 11 years to host The Chippenham Games. This annual two-day event involves nearly 500 year 6 pupils from local primary schools and allows them to take part in a range of exciting sporting activities

We have been delighted to work with a local initiative, She Can Be Active Chippenham which was launched on International Women’s Day 2023 to help women in Chippenham take part in physical activity that works for them. They organised the first recreational football sessions in Wiltshire that took place at Stanley Park. The sessions have been popular and continue to run.

We are very proud to tell you that Stanley Park Sports Ground was a finalist in the Grounds Management Association Community Grounds Team of the Year National Award. The team attended the ceremony held at Headingley Cricket Ground. This is a massive achievement for our team which recognises the hard work and professionalism they all consistently deliver.

Looking forward to 2024, we are excited to complete the new 3G All Weather Football Pitch project and the recarpeting of the existing 3G All Weather Football Pitch project.

See you in the New Year!

Stanley Park Team