Who are we?
We are Albrighton Cricket Club, home to two senior teams competing in the Shropshire County Cricket League (Divisions 2 and 7), alongside a social XI on Sundays. This provides a welcoming space for adults new to the sport and a development platform for juniors moving into adult cricket.
In 2018, we formed a thriving Ladies section, which has grown to include local parents, friends, and relatives who train together every Tuesday. Their enthusiasm earned us the title of Shropshire’s 2021 Softball Club of the Year.
Our vibrant Junior program caters to 4-13 year-olds, offering ECB AllStars and Dynamos initiatives. On Friday nights, the club becomes a social hub for the local community, where families gather, and parents unwind while children enjoy cricket.
Why are we crowdfunding?
The current cricket net facilities, built around 15 years ago with scaffolding poles on a concrete base, no longer meet ECB guidelines and fail to provide an inspiring environment for player development. To address this, the committee's top priority is the refurbishment of the practice nets.
It’s time to upgrade the facilities to match the quality of our matchday wicket, especially for our Junior and Ladies teams, as the current concrete base creates an unrealistic bounce making it difficult to replicate the conditions of a turf wicket.
As part of this project, we plan to relocate the nets to improve safety, taking into consideration the position of the setting sun to ensure better visibility. The new structure will feature a porous hardcore base, reducing stress on bowlers' joints and preventing potential injury. The fully enclosed facility (see below) will also enhance safety surrounding the nets, enabling more efficient use of space for training without the risk of being struck by a ball.
How we’ll spend the money raised
All of the money raised in this crowdfunding will go towards the cost of the new net facility. We are aiming to raise £7,500 through crowdfunding, plus £7,500 match funding from the Sport England Movement Fund.
Community impact
Adding the new two-lane net facility will increase participation and encourage players to remain in cricket.
1. CRICKET INVOLVEMENT - we want to involve and encourage all players from 5 years to 80 years old regardless of age, gender, ethnicity and disability.
2. CRICKET WITH CONFIDENCE - we hope the new net facility will inspire players, boosting their development and confidence to play games. The upgraded surface will offer a more realistic ball trajectory, similar to a turf wicket, helping players transition to match play.
3. CRICKET THROUGH GENERATIONS - we would love to keep players involved from their baby steps onto the pitch through to their retiring runs. Having players move through our age groups is our dream and it will help ensure Albrighton Cricket Club remains a sustainable club to allow the community to enjoy cricket now and years to come.
4. CRICKET TOGETHER - we hope this will open up opportunities for mixed training sessions, such as combined Ladies and Girls sessions to support player aspirations, or fun "Parents & Kids" sessions to create lasting memories.
5. CRICKET FOR KIDS - on a Friday nights we welcome close to 100 juniors across Under 8s, Under 11s, Under 13s and Under 15s. A fully enclosed facility enables safe viewing for parents supporting their children and better use of the surrounding area for other age groups training close by.
How you can play your part
There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.
1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!
2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.
3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!
4. Fundraise with us. Join us as we walk the 26 mile route from Edgbaston Cricket Stadium to Albrighton Cricket Club to raise money for the new net facility.
5. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!