NatWest CricketForce 2010 - A success in the County
The NatWest sponsored nationwide CricketForce event took place recently and was supported by 22 clubs from Norfolk who registered for the event.
Across the Country 2010 saw a new record number of clubs participating – with the 2009 total of 1,514 surpassed by a new total of 1,642! That saw an estimated 85,000 volunteers helping clubs throughout the CricketForce weekend - making it the the largest volunteering event in sport in England and Wales. CricketForce is an England and Wales Cricket Board volunteering initiative aimed at rejuvenating the nation’s cricketing facilities.CricketForce encourages cricket supporters, their friends and families to give something back to their local community cricket club by volunteering to undertake major renovations to clubhouses and grounds.
Locally players and helpers at Bradenham Cricket Club (pictured ) were joined by National vCricket Manager Jane Hannah who helped prepare the clubhouse for the new season. Jane said ‘ It is great to see clubs such as Bradenham joining in the initative and 22 clubs across the County is a fantastic effort ‘.
Swaffham Cricket Club took part for the second year running and amongst other jobs the club house was repainted, sightscreens were maintained, equipment over-hauled and the ground tidied. A team of people from senior players through to parents and friends helped out with the Lady Club President on hand to cook breakfasts and serve tea and coffee.
Emma Hardy on behalf of the Club said ‘The weekend is not only essential in preparation for the upcoming season but also creates a sense of community within and around the club. It is good to see youth and adults working together, to improve and maintain the club as a whole and not just turning up to play a match. It is also an opportunity for anyone to become part of a cricket club, as there is always a job to be done! ‘.
Those comments were echoed by Peter Steward, Club Development Officer at Hethersett and Tas Valley Cricket Club who enjoyed a similarly successful event.
He said "It was wonderful to see so many players, supporters and their families, all helping to ready the ground and clubhouse for what we believe will be a very exciting season''.
"if what went on at Tas Valley is repeated throughout the country, it shows just how important and how alive local cricket is and truly shows that it is a sport for all ages to enjoy. All we need now is the summer weather to go with it."
Alysham St Giles Cricket Club carried out work over two seperate weekends with about a dozen volunteers in total. They put their recent grant award to good use where following the installation of a new artificial net surface the members then constructed the net cage and put up the netting. Both dressing rooms and the kitchen were re-painted and a new sightscreen was constructed and painted from stratch.
Jeremy Cocks said ' Our thanks go to all Club members who took part in our CricketForce programme and in particular John Minns who over the last two years has constructed two top class sightscreens from scratch whilst the rest of us have chipped in with the assembly and painting. To have a real handyman like John to do the design and manufacture and the determination to see it through has made him a fantastic asset to the Club. '
Finally down at Thetford Cricket Club over a dozen volunteers took part, joining forces to complete a number of jobs including sight screen painting, net preparation, general ground preparation, litter picking and cabin cleaning.
Clubhouse Manager Pat Sparkes said ‘ The turnout of club members was very good,enabling us to fulfil the majority of planned tasks in good time. The CricketForce event proved to be an effective means of giving club facilities some much needed pre-season attention. I am really pleased with the team effort and end result ‘.
Kevin Denmark, Cricket Development Officer said ‘ Cricket would not survive without it’s army of volunteers who give up their time willingly and NatWest CricketForce is a fantastic way of encouraging new volunteers into the game. It is great to see the positive comments from Clubs locally who took part, who not only improved their facilities but aslo had some fun along the way. I would be delighted to hear from any other Clubs with any report or comment about their own day including any photographs.
Hopefully the level of success seen will encourage even more Clubs to take part in 2011 ''.
More information on NatWest CricketForce can be found on the ECB website at: http://www.ecb.co.uk/development/natwest-cricketforce/
Pat Sparkes ( Thetford CC ) CF 2010.JPG