More than 120 people attended a ball at the Comis Hotel on Saturday night to mark 80 years of Marown Memorial Playing Fields, Isle of Man Today reported.
The Old Church Road site began with a gift of land from Harley Cunningham in 1946, intended as a place for recreation for Marown residents. It was dedicated in memory of parishioners who served in both world wars.
The ground has grown steadily since then. Marown Association Football Club made it their home in 1952, and Crosby Cricket Club and Marown Bowling Club later joined them. The Derwent Hall Caine Pavilion followed in 1975, and the Millennium Hall was finished in 2001.
Most of the island’s sports grounds are owned or run by government or a local authority, but these fields are not. They belong to Marown Memorial Playing Fields Limited, a registered charity run by a volunteer committee and backed by local sports clubs and the wider community. Fundraising and rental income cover the running costs, according to Isle of Man Today. Charitable trusts, individual donors and corporate sponsors have funded particular projects.
The evening opened with a welcome from the charity’s chairwoman, Lorraine Quayle. She thanked everyone who has supported the fields over the decades. Guests then had a three-course dinner, followed by live music from the blues band Spotty Dog.
A raffle and tombola during the night raised further money for the playing fields.
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