With £212,226 still to be raised over the next 11 months we’re on our biggest drive to ensure we achieve this with many new fundraising activities.

We couldn’t have got this far without your help, support and interest which is so appreciated. Please keep spreading the word and continue to support us in any way you can.

Just hit reply to contact James Moir with any ideas, suggestions or offers of help - all are very welcome.

Last few tickets for the BERKHAMSTED BALL - Saturday 31st October

Tickets for the evening include:

• Three Course Dinner

• Gala Charity and Silent Auctions

• Live Music and Dancing with The X Tones

We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of all our donors – so many wonderful prizes on offer including:

• Holiday Home in Solva, Pembrokeshire, Wales

  Kindly donated by Mr and Mrs Peeler.

  

• A beautiful painting of your house

  Kindly donated by local artist Mary Casserley, renowned for her vintage travel

  style of paintings.

  

  
  

• One hour flight for one over the Vale of Aylesbury and surrounding area

  Kindly donated by Arthur Gill.

  
  

• Two nights’ accommodation in The Car House, Gravel Path, Berkhamsted

  Kindly donated by Ellen Walker.

  
  

• One-to-One Fly Fishing Experience Day at Pochard Lake Trout Fishery, Brickhills, near Leighton Buzzard

  Kindly donated by Pochard Lake Trout Fishery.

  
  

  

  
  

• Personalised trip for up to six people to the Victoria & Albert museum with celebrity antiques expert John Bly

  Kindly donated by John Bly.

In fact there are so many items available that we have split the auctioneering into three strands:

1. Gala Auction with antiques experts and auctioneers, John Bly and Charles Hanson, from 9pm.

   
   

2. Silent Auction during the evening.
   

3. A brand new monthly online auction, open to all, starting in late November. Details will be provided nearer the time.

Don’t miss out – please join us at the Black Tie Berkhamsted Ball, Saturday 31 October, 7pm til late at the Nash Hall, Berkhamsted Girls School, Kings Road, Berkhamsted. HP4 3BG

Tickets £75 per person available on the button below.

Save YOUR Space with what3words – Over 50% Sponsored

We’ve seen a huge uptake in the wonderful Save YOUR Space campaign using what3words and over 50% of our spaces across the Fields have been sponsored. There are still 6791 spaces available.

Our video by Jeff Naylor clearly explains how the scheme works and what you receive for your sponsorship of the Fields.

So if you’re looking for that special gift or ideas for Christmas, spaces make the perfect present while ticking any carbon footprint concerns. All you need to do is click below and that’s all your present buying sorted!

Looking Ahead - Dates For Your Diary

Sunday Times Article - you are needed for a photo shoot THIS SATURDAY!

Hugh Graham, Senior Property Writer of The Sunday Times has interviewed a few of the support group and will be running a piece on the Castle Fields campaign on 18th October. He has asked for a supporters’ group photo shoot THIS SATURDAY, 10th OCTOBER in the Fields.

Please do come and join us for the shoot in recognition of your support and to show how much it matters to the community that the Fields are saved from development - 2.50pm assemble for 3.00pm shoot!

Castle Trust Market Stall – Sunday 11th October

We’ll be back at the Artisan and Makers Market this Sunday October 11th from 9.30am – 3pm and again on Sunday November 8th.

Please drop by and say hello or if you can help on the stall then please contact Simon Lewis at simon.lewis6@btconnect.com.

1066 Walk – Sunday 22nd November

Local resident and radio presenter Nick Heath is planning to walk the route that William the Conqueror and his army followed in 1066 from Hastings (Battle) via Berkhamsted, where he accepted the Crown, to Westminster where he was crowned.

Along the way he will be promoting the Save Castle Fields campaign and the Save YOUR Space sponsorship.

“I estimate that the walk will take me 24 days in total, comprising 21 days from Pevensey Bay, via Battle, Hastings, Romney, Dover, Canterbury, Southwark, then out to Dorking,  Guildford, Wallingford (Thames crossing), the Icknield Way to Luton, and finally back to Berkhamsted - and then an additional three days to Westminster (Abbey). In total the walk comes to 359 miles.”

It’s possible to join Nick on his monumental walk, particularly on 22nd November for the last 3 miles into Berkhamsted from Little Gaddesden.

Listen out for Nick’s updates on a Saturday on the ‘Mix Brunch' Radio Show, on Mix 92.6 Radio where (as ‘Resident Rambler’) he presents a monthly walk. Also available on his website https://letjog.co.uk/. And follow Nick on Instagram at

@nickletjog.

Dates for 2027

Berkhamsted Cycling Club - Sunday 21st March 2027

Get pedalling or support the BCC next year on 21st March, for the club’s sprints around the Castle and Little Gaddesden in aid of Save Castle Fields campaign.

Berkhamsted Cricket Club – Monday 31st May 2027

Cricket Club 6 aside – we need Teams! Please think about pulling together a side with friends or family - it is only £50 per team to enter. Each team should include a minimum of 2 players of each gender. This will be a really great fun day out for friends and family with all funds going to the Fields campaign.

English Heritage agreement for small events at Berkhamsted Castle

Still to be finalised but we now have an outline agreement from English Heritage that we can hold small events in the Castle grounds to raise funds for the Fields. If you have ideas of any events that would be suited to the Castle environment, a small wedding, community or educational event, then please contact James at james.moir@berkhamstedcastle.org.uk.

National Planning Policy Framework – Changes

We mentioned this last month but it continues to be an issue and the reason why this campaign is so important to us all.

You may have seen in the news that the new National Planning Policy Framework has come into effect. Here are some of the key points that affect the Castle Fields and our town:

1. Developments near train stations - announced a few months back and now enshrined in the new NPPF.

This definitely places the Fields under much more pressure and why it is so important for the Castle Trust to secure them.

2. DBC under ‘special measures’ I.e. major planning applications may be determined directly by the planning inspectorate.

This would have added danger if any application were to have been submitted for the Fields.

3. Let’s not forget the site has been put forward in the past as a potential housing site AND came within weeks of being auctioned off in smaller parcels.

4. Existing S106 agreement - covenants can be revoked, so no binding arrangements in the long term.

The Castle Trust is saving the Fields with huge community support not ‘just’ to save them from ‘development’ but also to create a new accessible, open space (see the Neighbourhood Plan Consultation), protect and enhance their ecology as well as their vital historical importance and links to the Castle.

Berkhamsted is currently inundated with potential development applications - this campaign is NOT political or ‘nimbyist’ - just urgently seeking to ensure this vital, sensitive and threatened green space can be appreciated and used by the town, protecting its potential for health and wellbeing and educational purposes for future generations to come.

With all this in mind, we still have a long way to go, so please do continue to urge everyone to support the campaign!

Larger Donations Welcome

We’ve highlighted we still have a significant target to reach and to help us do this we are able to accept large donations. If you would like to be a major donor and discuss the feasibility of this we’re happy to set up a meeting to cover the details and any questions and provide a comprehensive pack of information about the Castle Trust and the Castle Fields campaign.

Please contact James at james.moir@berkhamstedcastle.org.uk to discuss.

Thank you for your continued support