Picnic in the Park 2025 Roundup
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Sunshine, sausages and Squiggle! What more could anyone have wanted from this year’s ‘Picnic in the Park’, which took place on 31 August 2025 at the Rec Ground? (Sally Squiggle, that is – the children’s entertainer).
Throw in an Ice Cream Van, East Herts Rural Police Team, some superb live music, a sizzling BBQ, and a (mostly) free-flowing bar, and you have the perfect formula for a community event.
Whilst ‘sunshine’ is probably an exaggeration, this year’s Picnic in the Park was nonetheless a big success. It brought together the village community like only village events can, and raised over £1,800, to be spent on the children’s play area at the Rec Ground.
A big thank you to all volunteers on the day, everyone that donated, and also to Mullocks Estate Agents in Bishop’s Stortford, who were this year’s sponsors. Village events simply cannot happen without willingness to “lend a hand”.
For anyone who was unable to attend (or if you simply have an insatiable urge to donate more money!), it is not too late! Elliott Hart (the Treasurer of the Much Hadham Recreation Trust) is waiting for your email at
Trust News Easter 2025
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We would like to share some important updates regarding the Much Hadham Recreation Trust.
After a decade of dedicated service, John Dodsworth has stepped down as Chairman and Trustee. Throughout his tenure, he played a pivotal role in our events and, alongside his wife Catriona, was instrumental in establishing the Kennel Club-registered Much Hadham Dog Show. This beloved event drew dog owners from across the country and became the highlight of the annual village fête. We extend our heartfelt thanks to John for his unwavering commitment, hard work, and steady leadership.
Following a vote, we are delighted to welcome Max Eagle, Elliott Hart (Ells), and Hugo Clarke as new Trustees. They bring enthusiasm, fresh ideas, and a passion for community events and fundraising activities.
Max has been appointed as the new Chairman, while Ells will take on the role of Treasurer, succeeding Ashrafa Sutton. We would like to express our gratitude to Ashrafa for her excellent work as Treasurer over many years.
The current trustees of the Much Hadham Recreation Trust are:
Max Eagle, Elliott Hart, Hugo Clarke, Tony Bond, Ashrafa Sutton, Bill O’Neill, and Ian Devonshire.
Your village needs you
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YOUR VILLAGE NEEDS YOU!
Published 17th August 2024
The Much Hadham Recreation Trust is a charitable organisation which for a long time has added to the life and sense of community of Much Hadham and the wider parish.
The Recreation Trust helps to support the Much Hadham village hall and recreation ground and other recreational and social clubs and societies within the parish. These have included the Bowls Club, the Tennis Club, local football teams, the Scouts, Busy Weeks, the Toddler Group, Badminton Clubs, Drama Groups, the Photographic Society, the Horticultural Society and the Forge Museum. Since 2017 grants have been also been awarded to cover the annual servicing costs of the defibrillator at the Much Hadham Fire Station.
Historically, the Recreation Trust has raised funds through a combination of private donations, the profits from the August Bank Holiday Fete and more recently from outdoor cinema events. In bumper years we have had close to £20,000 to allocate to local causes. In addition to the monies raised, events like the Fete and the outdoor cinema evenings bring residents together and contribute to the character and community of the village. The Recreation Trust offers a number of advantages to those looking to organise events and fundraise for the village: it has existing charitable status; has significant working capital to put on events; and owns a large store of handy equipment including gazebos, tables, chairs, outdoor games, signage and fencing.
The current trustees of the Recreation Trust have been involved for well over 10 years on average. So we are looking for people - or a group of people – to take over the running of this important local charity. Time commitment can be as little or as much as you can manage and of course the current trustees would be happy to stay on for a transitional period, to help with handover of relevant information and expertise.
Please contact us at
In the meantime, we are hugely grateful to the group organising the Picnic in the Park on 1st September – please do support this great community event!
Embrace Community: Get Involved Today!