Sport England - Movement Fund has provided £5,825 of match funding
Keep Me Rolling
Houghton le Spring, County Durham, United Kingdom
Aim
We desperately need funding for a new heavy-duty roller to maintain our 16 grass cricket wickets and 6 tennis courts
Burnmoor Cricket & Lawn Tennis Club has served the community since 1873 and is the only fully accessible, multi-sport and social venue in the immediate area(Nearest is 10 miles away). With four senior cricket teams and seven junior teams (ages 5–19), our cricket section supports over 200 active players, while our tennis programme welcomes around 40 users each week. But we are more than a sports club — we have become the main local gathering place in a village that has lost key venues, including the Community Centre, increasing the local need. As the only fully accessible, multi-sport and social venue around with over 12 different groups (Cricket Section – 200+ senior and junior participants weekly, Tennis Club – 40 members weekly, Veterans Group – 30 attendees weekly, Children’s Autism & Additional Needs Education Sessions – 15 children weekly, weekly Darts Club – 20 participants weekly, Local Schools – Bournmoor Primary School PE/cricket sessions,) now rely on our facilities.
The pressure on our facilities continues to grow due to major nearby housing developments, including Elba Park, Lambton View, and Highstone Hall. Combined, these estates are delivering over 4,000 new homes to the area, bringing an estimated 8,000 additional residents to our doorstep. While our immediate postcode is within the 30% least deprived nationally, we serve a much broader catchment across County Durham(Hetton-le-Hole/Houghton-le-Spring) where neighbourhoods fall into the 30% most deprived nationally.
The quality of the playing surface directly affects participation, performance, and safety. For junior cricketers, unpredictable bounce caused by poorly prepared wickets poses a genuine injury risk. Consistent surfaces are critical for learning and coaching, which is central to our mission and our ECB Clubmark accreditation. Uneven tennis courts hinder participation and could lead to injury, particularly among older players — many of whom use tennis as a key outlet for physical activity and social inclusion.
Our facilities include a cricket ground with 16 grass wickets and six lawn tennis courts, all requiring well-maintained surfaces. A heavy-duty roller is vital for compacting and smoothing the soil and grass, ensuring safe, firm, and even playing surfaces. For cricket, rolling creates consistent bounce and prevents uneven or soft patches. For tennis, it keeps grass courts level and safe for players.
Without a roller, surfaces become uneven, drainage worsens, and the turf can suffer permanent damage. Using unsuitable heavy machinery, like road compactors, can cause over-compaction, crushing grass roots and soil structure, leading to poor drainage, waterlogging, cracked surfaces, and unsafe footing. This creates safety risks — especially for juniors — and leads to injuries. Our current roller is broken beyond repair, and hiring unsuitable equipment is causing further damage and increasing ongoing costs.(£200pw).
If we don’t replace the roller, we risk cancelling matches and coaching sessions, losing players, and damaging the club’s reputation. The financial burden of continually hiring inappropriate machinery is unsustainable and diverts funds from other essential club activities. Investing in a new, purpose-built roller will reduce maintenance costs over time, protect our playing surfaces, and ensure participant safety.
Sport England has kindly agreed to contribute £5,825 if we raise the same amount! So any donation at all will be greatly received!
This project successfully funded on 9th December 2025