Ayr Field Community Group - A constituted voluntary group made up of St Ives residents.

Created in 2005 as a campaigning group sought to secure the use of Ayr Field as an open green space for the people of St Ives. In 2006, the plan outlining the community consultation to secure Ayr Field as an open green space was submitted to Cornwall County Council and accepted. They went on to raise the funds for the field improvements in 2007.

At the start of 2008 work began on the task of improving the field as set out in the community plan. A National Lottery Breathing Places Grant of just under £9,000 helped improve the biodiversity of the field. Other funds were raised to improve the safety and accessibility of the field. Funding was also secured to design 3 gates for the Ayr Field entrances that engaged the young people in St Ives.

A great deal has been achieved but work is ongoing to do much more! The management committee meet once a month to plan projects and they exchange ideas and emails or a regular basis. The Ayr Field Community Group are a friendly bunch and they invite anyone interested in helping build a better future for the local community to get in touch.

A Brief History

Ayr Field was purchased in 1914 by Cornwall County Council for use as a school playing field and is still owned by Cornwall County Council today. While many local people recall stories of children taking money to school to purchase the field the evidence can not be found to prove this claim. After the school relocated to the Burrows in the 1980's the field became a seasonal car park and has recently been used as a building compound in connection with the Wheal Ayr rebuilding works. In March 2006 the builders  left the field and the campaign to return the field to community use took hold. The field is now managed and maintained by a Partnership of Penwith District Council and Ayr Field Community Group and is protected by a restricted lease from Cornwall County Council.