Fairfield Festival and Fairfield Playground
Thank you to everyone who attended, helped out or performed at the Fairfield Festival on Saturday 13th July! The rain held off, and much pizza, beer, ice-cream and BBQ was consumed.
The festival celebrated the opening of the new playground, which was finished in the nick of time! It’s been a long time coming, but it was great to finally be able to share the new play equipment with everyone.
The playground has been a real community effort, with a new generation of families and young people getting involved to raise money and contribute towards the design. We aimed to retain the charm of the old playground but improve its accessibility, and spice it up with some exciting new opportunities for co-operative play.
We hope everyone has been enjoying lots of lazy summer days down at the swings!
Playground survey
The Fairfield Festival will return on Saturday 24th May 2025. In the meantime, we’d love to know what you think of the new playground. We have created a very short online survey for you to send us your thoughts.
Community Events
Easter Egg Hunt
This year’s Easter Egg Hunt took place in the Orchard on Tuesday 2nd April (rescheduled from Easter Monday owing to bad weather). The event was a great success, with games, crafts, refreshments and plenty of Easter fun.
Wildlife Fair
On Sunday 19th June, our first Wildlife Fair was organised in the Orchard by the North Lancashire Wildlife Group. There were displays of local fauna, including bats, moths, pond-life, spiders and worms, as well as fascinating exhibits, ranging from bird skulls to whale bones. During the day a moth trap was opened; there were activities and quizzes for children and guided walks into the reserve with local experts; plus of course tea and cakes.
Next Event
Our next event will be the annual celebratory Apple Day in the Orchard on Saturday 5th October from 2-4pm. Come along for stalls, children’s games, face painting and our famous Fairfield cakes. We will need volunteers to help with games and serve refreshments: to get involved, email .
Nature Reserve Update
In the spring, volunteers removed turf from the grassy patch near Pony Wood and sowed a mixture of wildflowers, giving a colourful summer display of poppies, cornflowers, corn marigold and corn chamomile. Cornfield annuals need disturbed ground to set seed, so next year we will see the perennials such as ox-eye daisy. We plan to repeat this process across the reserve.
Lapwing
For the first time for several years lapwing bred in Flora Field. The local population of lapwing has crashed recently so we hope to have contributed to the revival locally of this iconic bird, with its lovely display flight and “peewit” call.
Hares
Another highlight was the sighting of three hares suggesting that the pair had raised a leveret.
Roe Deer
Roe deer including a fawn have also been seen, although these are a mixed blessing: you can see where the bark has been stripped from a bird cherry in the hedge around the Pony Wood path.
Bird Tables
The bird tables will soon be reinstated, so look out for winter visitors, and the recordings on the sightings board.
Fairfield Calendar
The Fairfield Calendar will be available again this year: copies can be purchased at the Green Fair in the Friends Meeting House on Saturday 23rd November 10am-4pm or directly from us. Email for details.
Meanwhile, please continue to send in your photos for the calendar: we need landscape format, 300 PPI, around 3507 x 2480 pixels or larger. Photos should be sent to Julia McDowell by the end of September:
Fairfield Association Meetings
AGM
The next AGM will take place on Tuesday 17th September at 7.30pm in The Social Room, Friends Meeting House. Come along and join us and let us know what you think!
All members of the Fairfield Association are entitled to vote and to nominate officers and trustees. More details and the agenda.
Nominations
Nominations for Chair, Secretary, Treasurer or Trustees should be sent to Sue Pope, Secretary no less than seven days before the meeting. AGM 2023 Minutes are also on the website.
Monthly Meetings
Monthly Fairfield Association meetings take place in the Tite and Locke at 7.30 pm on the third Tuesday of every month. These meetings are open to all, and newcomers are always welcome.
Details of all our events and meetings can be found on the website calendar.
Join the Volunteers!
Our volunteers regularly maintain and enhance the Nature Reserve. We meet at the Orchard Stump Circle on Wednesdays from 9.30am and the second Saturday of each month from 10.00am. If you would like to join us, email and we will forward your email to Rebekah Mulligan, the volunteer organiser.
No previous experience is necessary, and we are proud of our record of developing our volunteers’ skills, including hedge laying, scything, wildlife surveying, fruit tree management and fencing.
Would you like to help support the Fairfield Association?
Community Membership
Community Membership is free: join up if you want to get involved and hear from us regularly about news and events. Find out more and join online on the community membership page.
Fairfield Friends
Fairfield Friends are members who make regular donations that provide our charity with a regular revenue stream. For details of how to become a Fairfield Friend, make a donation, or even leave us some part of your estate visit. Find out more and become a Friend.
Payments and Donations
Already a Fairfield Friend? Your annual payment may be due. Our preferred method is by setting up a Standing Order, but you can also pay by cheque or BACS transfer. Find all the details on our donations page.