Welcome to Stalham & Brumstead Recreation Ground and Poppy Centre

Stalham and Brumstead Recreation Ground

In 1924, the land for Stalham and Brumstead Recreation Ground was donated to the town by the Trustees of Stalham War Memorials. Records show that George Plummer and William Draper recognised the need for the people of the area to have an open space to meet and pursue a range of outdoor activities. A wooden pavilion was erected where the youth club now stands, and lawn tennis courts and a bowls green with an old railway carriage were added.

The Rec became home to Stalham Football Club, and in the summer Smallburgh Cricket Club had a square in the middle. Jack Emerson, who was a science teacher at the High School, used to captain the cricket club. Pupils at Stalham Primary remember the headteacher, Charlie Thorne, walking them up the Brumstead Road in the 1950’s for games lessons, and weekends were spent on the Rec with jumpers for goalposts. Reggie Nelson was the groundsman who looked after the Rec at the time, and although memories of the early days of the Rec are fading, ariel photographs from 1946 clearly show the layout.

In 1974 the management of the Recreation Ground was taken over by the Town Council. In 1976, Paul Meale opened the youth club, and Stalham Town FC and the Scout groups were also based in the buildings on the site.

The Woolsey family was behind the project to provide the skatepark in the early 2000s and worked with others to raise the necessary funds. When the changing rooms and Scout hut needed to be replaced, the Poppy Centre Trust was formed in 2004, and began the project to build a new facility. Colin and Christina Costello, along with a team of trustees and volunteers, set about the task of building the Poppy Centre which now stands next to the children’s play area. The Poppy Shop raised over £500,000 for the Centre which opened in 2018, followed by the refurbishment of the car park. In 2023 Stalham Town FC teams returned to the Rec and helped with the reinstatement of the main football pitch and installation of new floodlights.

In the past the Recreation Ground was run as part of the Stalham Town Councils’ assets. Stalham Town Council was given the advice to interpret the Governing Document by a consultant specialising in charitable trusts and it was resolved that it needs to be managed as a totally separate entity from the Town Council. The Recreation Ground and The Poppy Centre is now administered by the Stalham and Brumstead Recreation Ground Charity and is registered with the Charities Commission . The charity number is 304072.

The trust welcomes the hiring of its facilities with details on how available on the website.

Poppy Centre

Why is it called the Poppy Centre?

It is called the Poppy Centre because The Poppy Centre Trust, who fundraised and built the centre, was formed on Armistice day, 11 November 2004, Poppy is the flower associated with Norfolk, and Stalham Recreation Ground is a WW1 and WW2 memorial ground.

Background

After more than 10 years trying on their own, the 1st Stalham Sea Scout Group agreed to the formation of The Poppy Centre Trust as it seemed a group representing several youth organisations from the community would have more success in raising funds for a replacement building than one that was just raising funds for Scouting. A committee was formed and representatives from the Scouts, Youth Football Club, Guides, Brass Band, and Town Council all voted in favour of plans drawn up for a new building to replace the old Scout hut and take over the old footprint of the football club.

The constitution of the Poppy Centre reads:

The provision and maintenance of an amenities centre for the benefit of the inhabitants of Stalham and Happing area without distinction of political, religious or other opinions including use for meetings of youth associations and other forms of education, recreation and leisure time occupations in the interest of the social welfare of the inhabitants and with the object of improving their conditions of life.

Once established the building will provide young people with a safe, secure environment in which to meet where they can develop life and social skills, increase self-esteem, build confidence in their own abilities, express themselves and work as a team member.