VILLAGERS gathered at Pillowell Recreation Ground last weekend to celebrate its recent rejuvenation by recreating a 100-year-old photograph of the miners who built it.

Local residents joined trustees of Pillowell Hall for a special ceremony in the village to mark the ground’s centenary year.

Those who attended re-staged a photograph which was taken of the local miners who created the ground during a strike for better wages and working conditions in 1921.

The re-staging of the photograph was organised by the Pillowell Hall Committee, to celebrate recent work in the local community to rejuvenate the previously "dormant" recreation ground.

Villagers have worked hard to re-fence the ground to keep out wild boar through the hall committee’s "Sponsor-a-Post" campaign, in which locals were asked to make a donation to help fund the project.

A centenary plaque has also been commissioned to commemorate the striking miners who "dug the ground by hand" after the land was donated to village by Lord Bledisloe of Lydney.

The hall committee had originally hoped to stage the celebration on May 28, which is the date that the original photo was taken in 1921, but had to postpone due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Chair of Trustees at Pillowell Village Hall Peter Dunford said in a speech to attendees: "The journey to re-establish the dormant Recreation Ground (War Memorial) at Pillowell has been arduous and challenging for all involved in this process, but we now have a new set of Trustees who are passionate about the flora and fauna and to enhance this wonderful village asset for the benefit of our communities - for fun and leisure activities.

"We have been able to celebrate this event because of amazing people and organisations who have contributed to make this possible and I pay an enormous gratitude and respect to them all.

"We have commissioned the centenary plaque which I hope will be a standing testimony for future generations to reflect upon. And maybe a similar event will be held in 2121!"

Peter added that the history surrounding the miners’ strike in 1921 is both "compelling and shocking", and recommended a book written by his friend Ian Wright called "God’s Beautiful Sunshine" to anyone interested in finding out more.