The Playing Field committee. A bit about what the organisers of Stoke Stampede 10K Run do

It also gives us pleasure to briefly introduce who we are and more importantly why we organise the annual 10 KM run in our lovely village.

The Stoke Stampede is organised by a team of volunteers (a massive thank you to all of you) in order to raise funds for the Village Playing Field.

Prior to the second world war Stoke St Gregory like many small communities didn’t have any facilities for sport. The local football and
cricket teams relied upon sympathetic farmers who would allow them to use a fallow field for a season or two. This was completely
unsatisfactory as to prepare the ground for sport took a lot of time and effort which was wasted each time they had to move on.

Towards the end of the Second World War fund raising began for the “Welcome Home” fund. This was
originally set up to give men and women returning from war service a little bit of financial assistance, should
it be required when they returned home. However, due to the generosity and community spirit of the returning
service personnel it was decided that the money should be used to provide the village with its own playing field.
The land was duly purchased during the late 1940’s and after a great deal of work the field officially opened
in 1951.

As recreation areas in towns and cities are being sold off for development our field is the envy of visitors.
The views on a clear day are delightful and the wide open space provides a wonderful place for sport and
free play.

In 2005 a memorial stone was commissioned by the Parish Council to mark the 60^th anniversary of the end
of the Second World War. It was erected by the entrance gate to remember all the men and women from the
village who served.

Each November a poppy wreath is placed by this stone to remember those who didn’t return.

The playing field is our living war memorial and therefore very precious.