The Parish is very fortunate in owning a 15 acre Leisure and Recreation area which was purchased in 1948 for just under £1000, an area now known as the Withymead Playing Fields. The area is located almost adjacent to the new school, with vehicular access at the end of Withymead Road by The Pavilion, an access which is locked at night. There is also a pedestrian and Disabled Persons access immediately facing one on turning into Withymead Road, an access which also has double locked gates but these are only opened when specially required.

The whole of this area is held as a Registered Charity to ensure that it will remain as a recreation area in perpetuity and is managed on behalf of the Parish Council by the Marshfield Outdoor Recreation Association – known as MORA –who work within an agreed Annual Budget paid for out of the Village Precept.

South Gloucestershire Council inspect all the facilities at Withymead every month to ensure all Health & Safety requirements are complied with and our Insurance Brokers also make periodic inspections.

Whilst Football is the main sporting activity at Withymead, on the outskirts of the village is the beautiful Broadley cricket ground owned by the Marshfield Cricket Club, founded in 1901.Fact sheets covering both the Football and Cricket Clubs are given on separate sheets in this “Welcome Pack” pack.

Withymead Playing Fields offers the following facilities:
 

Car Park There is a large Car Parking area adjacent to the Pavilion which is reached by following the Withymead Road round. Users of the Withymead Playing Fields are particularly asked not to park in Withymead Road itself so as to minimise any possible inconvenience to home owners in Withymead Road!

The “cut grass” area of the Playing Fields is marked out for two full sized Football pitches and two or three smaller pitches for the Juniors and there is also a permanently netted “practice” goalmouth and an “artificial” surface Cricket pitch so the whole area is in constant use throughout the year but much more information about the extremely active Football and Cricket clubs in Marshfield will be found on their separate sheets in this folder.

“Withyworld” - a truly innovative and exciting Children's Playground is situated in the corner of the field nearest to the houses and the school.

The Skateboard Park at the bottom end of the field was built in 2003 and being quite large is well used by young persons from Marshfield and neighbouring villages and then also in the “rough grass” area are numerous Mountain Bike “Bumps” of various sizes which the users themselves frequently rebuild or change. No motorised vehicles are permitted to use these areas.

A Leisure Area was created at the same time as building the Skateboard Park and being in the corner adjacent to the lane and below the fine line of trees, some of which are over 100 years old. The bank which has been planted up with some beautiful shrubs and bulbs not only serves as a “noise baffle” to the retirement homes, but provides a range of colours during the year and the cut grass area here has three very nice wooden seats securely placed to look out over the lovely valley.

The Community Centre – quite separately from the Withymead Playing Fields – offers other recreational facilities and activities which can be found on the separate sheet headed “Halls for Hire”.