Aston Ingham Cricket Club Covid Fundraiser

Aim

To raise £20K to cover an income gap due to Covid 19 to help our Pavilion extn Project to start and ready our new ground for 3rds/girls team

Aston Ingham CC - Covid Crowdfunder.  

Aston Ingham CC, founded in 1976, is a rural sports club based on the Glos/Hfds Border. We are an inclusive club, run by volunteers and open to all. 

Links to other local Community Organisations The Club is the hub of the local community, many local organisations use the Club facility, including the Womens’ Institute, Aston Ingham Cub and Scout Groups, annual community bonfire night, annual young farmers cricket match, a local estate and other businesses use the pavilion clubroom for regular meetings and have an annual social game and BBQ for their families. The clubroom has also been hired for birthday parties and music practices. Village and Church Fetes are also hosted, and in November every year Bonfire Night takes place bringing the entire community and local parishes together.  7  local community businesses sponsored advertising boards at the ground in 2019. The Club’s aim is to bring young and old alike, together, and encourage more participation in cricket, both in a physical and social sense. 

Photo below of Community Fun day during the 2019 Season

How Covid 19 has affected the Financial Position of the Club

Cancelled race night in March 2020 - £1,500

Fundraising dinner – planned for June 1st 2020 cancelled – lost funding of £10K (leaving the Club with a shortfall for our pavilion extension). 

Loss of sponsorship from 7 advertising boards in 2020 at £250 each, £1750 in total.  

Income lost from subs, match fees & lost bar revenue £5K

Junior Cricket 

Chance to Shine Programme 

Since 2013, one of the club’s ECB Level 2 Coaches has delivered the Chance 2 Shine Initiative in 5 local primary schools, which has introduced many new children, boys and girls to the game of cricket. Fantastic working relationships have been built up with all the schools, culminating in some kwik cricket inter school tournaments, taking place at the club. These tournaments have provided opportunities for all children to participate. 

All Stars Programme The Club became part of the ECB All Stars Initiative in its inaugural year, 2017, with 31participants, building to 41, the following year and 51 in 2019. The All Stars a mix of boys and girls are representative of the relationship the club has built up in recent years, within the village of Aston Ingham, and its neighbouring community. In 2020, the first year of Dynamos Cricket, the club already had 10 sign ups by February, and was planning a strong first year, for 8-11 year olds to run alongside the clubs established, very successful All Stars programme. As well as the physical activity We encourage social interaction, with the Friday night barbecue always a favourite, with all. Friday evening also sees the older junior children train, where our numbers are 70, so We regularly see 120 boys and girls train on a Friday evening, with parents, either volunteering, with coaching, helping run the bar/barbecue, and general club administration; or socialising in the bar. 

 Aston Ingham C.C All Stars

Junior Teams Junior matches take place in the Leadon Vale League throughout the week, during the first half of the summer. Age groups, at U9, U11, U13 and U15 are represented, with mixed sex representation. The captain of the club U15 side last year, and due to be again in 2020, is a current girls’ Glos County Age group player. A number of our young players are involved with County and District Age Group sides. With regard to senior cricket, the club runs 3 senior league sides on Saturdays, with the 1st XI, having gained 3 promotions in as many years, to reach Division 1 of the Gloucestershire County League. 

Senior Teams including new 3rd Team - In 2018, the 3rd XI was born, a direct result of the club growing their local schools links from 2013 onwards. Work has started on a second ground, adjacent to the main ground where the 3rd XI will be based. The 3rd XI has regular female representation, with a plan to build to full girls/women's cricket teams to be based from Mill Meadow, the second ground. The Club was used as a home ground in 2019, for a Gloucestershire Under 15 Fixture against Berkshire, after which the club was asked to be a hub to host a county age groups home fixtures in 2020, by the Gloucestershire Cricket Board.

Third Team in Aug 19 which includes 7 of our boys and girls from the U15 team 

 New Ground for 3rds and Girls Teams getting its first roll 

Club Events The Club also hosted the Lashings World XI in 2013, with an XI made up of past and present household names of international players, and in 2016, a benefit T20 match was hosted against a Gloucestershire XI - on both occasions Henry Blofeld commentated. In March 2019 the Club hosted a fundraising dinner with Jonathan Agnew as guest speaker.

Fundraising dinner with Jonanthan Agnew (We have had to cancel a dinner planned for 1st Jun 20 due to Covid at an income loss of approximately £10K)

The significant growth in both junior and senior numbers in recent seasons has been fuelled by an environment of inclusivity. The club is open to all age groups, playing standards and social groups. Financial barriers are minimised so that the club can incorporate all. Below are some comments from a survey, undertaken by the club in the last couple of months, which give an insight into what the village cricket club really means to those in the local community. 

 Hosting Gloucestershire County Cricket Club for a Hamish Marshall benefit match in 2016.

Feedback from March 2020 Survey

Comments received back from a survey conducted in March this year typifies the esteem with which the club is held within the community. 

• The club is in a wonderful situation, it typifies what grassroots cricket is all about, a village amenity that benefits all, the players, spectators and visitors alike. As an 88 year old former player, I have witnessed too many grounds going under the builders trowel, it is time it ceased. This is a vital part of our rich culture, particularly village cricket.  
• The cricket club offers the village of Aston Ingham the only large green space that can be used by the whole community, for things like bonfire night and summer barbecues.  
• As a parent to 3 girls, I am aware that rounders is being dropped at schools in favour of cricket, so girls playing cricket will continue to be a massive growth area for Aston Ingham Cricket Club - how great to have a team sport both sexes can play together in the local community. 
•  Fantastic club excellently run and a great place for families to meet. 
• You have grown because you are a truly family orientated club. Carry on and you will continue to grow. Thank you.  
• We are in the throes of developing a second pitch, at a site opposite the existing ground! This is an exciting venture which is aimed mainly at bringing our established 3rd team back ‘home’ they currently play some 7-8 miles away at Tibberton, and this would be a huge boost to our facilities!! 
• They are a fantastic cricket club with a friendly atmosphere and very family orientated. I wish them all the very best for the future.  

This project successfully funded on 7th August 2020