Have You Spotted A Lost Playing Field?

Fife has 25 'lost' Carnegie playing fields, and the Carnegie Trust wants them found.

A search is underway to find 900 'lost' playing fields across Scotland.

It's estimated Andrew Carnegie also gave protected status to 25 sites across Fife; however there's no central record to confirm this.

Members of the public are being encouraged to get behind the campaign 'hashtag field finders' in order to ensure local greenery is given protection from urban development.

The aim is to trace fields which were set up Andrew Carnegie between 1927 and 1935 but never recorded, in order to ensure they're protected from urban development.

Investigative ‘Field Finders’ are also being encouraged to share images of the sites using their social media profiles to share pictures, using #FieldFinders to help spread the word of the campaign and encourage their friends in other locations to join the hunt.

Douglas White, Head of Advocacy at Carnegie UK Trust said: "When these grants were made it was a significant sum of money for outdoor recreational spaces across the UK. A requirement of the grant was that the playing fields should remain public areas for the benefit of the community in perpetuity. We want to find as many of these fields as possible and ensure that they remain legally protected for the local community."
 
Each confirmed location where legal protection can be added will then be given the chance to win one of two £5000 prizes to make improvements to facilities such as children’s play areas.

Kathryn Cook, Partnership & Communications Manager of Fields in Trust who will be working to improve the legal protection to the sites if this is required, said: "Many playing fields in built up areas offer the only green space and safe playing area for children and families. They are places to relax, play sports or hold community events. Ensuring they are around for future generations is an utmost priority.
 
"We need the public to share as much information as possible about the spaces they believe to be Carnegie Playing Fields via an online form on our website www.fieldsintrust.org/Carnegie.aspx where you can also view examples of Carnegie Playing Fields that we have already found.  Of course if you have any photos, do share them with us!  This is a very important but labour intensive job and we really need the support of local communities to help us protect these valuable assets for the long term."

#FieldFinders will have their names associated with the parks they have rediscovered alongside the online list so their efforts are recorded and the thanks of future generations can be given.

The best of the photographs will be added to an online gallery where people can view photographs of the past and present.