Join us for our big push to ensure our pavilion redevelopment is completed and our club thrives in 2025 and beyond!
Ampthill Town Cricket Club, nestled in Ampthill Great Park, is a community-oriented cricket club, offering inclusive cricket and social opportunities for all ages and skill levels. From our 180 young All-Stars & Dynamos from 4 - 11 years old to competitive play across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire & Home Counties for our men & women, we aim to foster participation in cricket, guided by a welcoming and supportive atmosphere.
Our history
Ampthill Town Cricket Club has played cricket in Ampthill Great Park since the late 1800’s and is steeped in history. The club is amongst the largest in Bedfordshire and is highly regarded in cricketing circles throughout the County and beyond. It is a Focus Club for the Bedfordshire Cricket Board and has achieved ECB Clubmark Accreditation.
Our ethos
Our volunteer led cricket club strives to encourage greater participation in cricket be it playing or socially. Guided by a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment our commitment is to minimise the financial barriers so that we attract people from a wide cross section of society, including a significant proportion from the less well-off and socially deprived communities.
So why are we crowdfunding?
When the pavilion was initially built, our club consisted of just four men's teams and two boys' teams. With a wide catchment area across Central Bedfordshire, we now have over 200 members. Today, we proudly field six men's teams (including our new 4th XI with the remit of retaining teenagers & young adults), growing our women's team, and ten youth teams, including two girls' sides. With an additional 180 All-Stars & Dynamos young players and a vibrant Friday night social side, it's clear that our facilities needed an urgent upgrade.
We are in the final stages of our fundraising efforts to transform our 40 year-old pavilion into a modern facility that meets the needs of today's cricket community.
While we have made significant progress with the redevelopment over the winter, we still urgently need additional funding to ensure the pavilion is both secure and safe. With rising costs in recent years, with grants and additional funding, we have already raised over £400K but we still need more to ensure the pavilion is fully accessible and both safe and secure. We hope this will be the final push so that the pavilion will be ready for use by both our members and the wider community.
While so many of our members and the local community have given up hundreds of hours of their time to reach the current stage, we still urgently need additional funding to make certain that our pavilion redevelopment can be completed for the current season ahead and to ensure our clubhouse can be both welcoming and inclusive.
How we’re spending the money raised
Our existing pavilion's amenities were extremely outdated, with cramped changing rooms that cannot adequately accommodate the modern game. Moreover, there was no dedicated space for female and gender neutral players to change when participating in mixed teams. The toilet and shower facilities needed total renovation and access for individuals with physical disabilities was limited. Additionally, the social area lacked the space needed to appeal to families and the broader community. Added to this this a major flood in 2022 caused significant damage and hastened the need to take urgent action.
Progress so far...
With hard work by everyone involved in the club, we remain on track to re-open for the start of the 2025 season. Our ultimate goal is to create a facility in the heart of Ampthill that caters to the entire community, from families supporting All Stars cricketers for the first time, to retired players reconnecting with old teammates. We envision a welcoming environment where everyone feels included and can enjoy the spirit of cricket together.
Community impact
Ampthill Town Cricket Club truly embodies the spirit of community, serving as a place where residents of Ampthill and the surrounding areas come together to play, socialize, and connect. Situated in the picturesque Ampthill Park, the club holds a special place in the hearts of locals.
Enhancing our facilities will not only enable more members of the community to enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of participating in sports but will also elevate the club into a premier social destination. Whether it's watching a thrilling cricket match or simply gathering with friends on a sunny afternoon, we envision the club as the go-to spot for summer enjoyment.
Moreover, our vision extends beyond the cricket season. We aspire to make our facilities accessible year-round for community use, catering to various groups and events. By providing a versatile space, we aim to enrich the lives of individuals of all ages, allowing them to fully appreciate the exceptional location that Ampthill Town Cricket Club calls home. Most recently we have hosted Ampthill Fireworks along with Ampthill & Flitwick Pride Picnic.
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 or donation. 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. Pledge for our fantastic rewards. we have had some fantastic offers - every penny pledged will go directly to supporting our club. Please get involved - no matter how small your contribution.
4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own team 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!