A Brief History Of Cookley Playing Fields & Village Hall Association
1931 - A Parish Hall was built (opposite the church)
This was a temporary building which was expected to last no more than 10 years. The building housed many local organisations including a drama group, brownies, guides, playgroup and many more. The committee also organised many activities over the years to raise funds towards building a new hall in the future.
1949 - Field is purchased for £1500
Messrs Oakley, Beeston and Kimberlee (Parish Councillors at the time), purchased the field for £1500 for 26 acres. This move secured the field for leisure for all time and in the beginning football, cricket and angling took place, followed by tennis, bowls and a play area for the children. Cookley Playing Fields Association was set up to ensure the land continued to be held upon trust.
1978 – Cookley Sports and Social Club was built
Built on the Playing Fields with the agreement of the trustees of the time. The land and building remained the property of the Playing Fields charity, however the club had its own committee and constitution and as a non-profit organisation was run for the benefit of its members.
2003 - Parish Hall closes
Sadly the Parish Hall was closed as it could no longer be updated to meet current legislation and expectations.
2006 - Changing rooms added
Changing Rooms were opened for the cricket and football teams.
2006 - A project committee was formed to investigate building a community building somewhere in the village
Members included representatives from the Parish Hall Charity, Playing Fields Association, Sports and Social Club, Parish Council, School PTA and Cookley Amateur Dramatic Society. It was decided that the ideal place to site the new building was on the playing fields and would also incorporate the Sports and Social Club as the current club building was coming to the end of its useful life.
2007 – Multi Use Games Area opened (MUGA)
2008 - The Cookley Playing Field and Village Hall Association was formed
The Playing Fields Association widened its trusts to include the Village Hall and became Cookley Playing Field and Village Hall Association as we know it today.
2011 – New Village Hall was opened
The building and site are managed by the Cookley Playing Field and Village Hall Association. Cookley Sports Club hire parts of the building to run a members club and have their own committee and constitution.