LAST summer a field above the primary school was bought to become Copplestone Recreation Field. The first fundraising event to buy facilities for the field raised £300 at a jumble sale in the Methodist Church Hall at the end of February.

The field was bought through Section 106 funding, money given by developers in the parish for facilities for that area.

Now local people need to find around £750,000 to pay for everything they would like to see there. A questionnaire in the autumn showed that parishioners' ideal would be a pavilion, somewhere to play badminton with a meeting room, and a hard standing multi-use games area.

John Lunn, chairman of the fundraising committee, said: "That is our target and it has been estimated that, with levelling and other work, it will cost around £750,000."

He added: "We are hoping to do lots of fundraising events and to encourage people to get together in different ways to raise money, have fun and get to know each other.

"We have been getting help towards this. For instance the pub, The Cross, is holding a darts and skittles competition on March 27 for all ages and abilities, a family fun quiz on April 24 and a table top sale on June 13."

On April 2 there will be a children's Easter egg hunt at 10am and a walking treasure hunt at 2pm, both from Bewsley Hill car park at Copplestone. All proceeds will go to the field fund.

"We hope to get people of all ages involved in fundraising," added John.