The sun shone on Hemyock as we celebrated the official opening of the new Longmead Field sports and leisure complex on Sunday 4th November. Over 100 people, young and old, from in and around Hemyock, enjoyed a glorious autumn afternoon playing or watching sport, with champagne and cake being served in the pavilion.
 

Football was played on the two grass pitches and also on the brand new multi-use games area (MUGA), while members of Hemyock tennis club made good use of the three tennis courts. The official opening was done by Heather Stallard, Chair of Hemyock Parish Council. Before cutting the ribbon she thanked the many people who, over the last 16 years, had helped to turn the dream of new sports and leisure facilities for the area into a reality.

Special thanks were given to project manager, Jack Purssell, who worked tirelessly for more than three years to gain the necessary funding and see construction through from planning to completion. The pavilion in particular, is built to a very high specification and the result is a state of the art building with many green technology features such as sun pipes to let in natural daylight, solar panels, a heat pump using ground water to heat water for showers and under-floor heating and a roof partially planted with sedum to give extra insulation and to slow rainwater run-off.

The whole complex, comprising football pitches, flood-lit tennis courts and MUGA, children’s play area, boules pitch and car-parking (with picnic area and trim trail also planned) was a huge achievement for which Hemyock and surrounding areas are very proud and grateful.