Sport Northern Ireland: Creating Opportunities has provided £5,000 of match funding
Derriaghy C.C. (New Areas and Communities)
Belfast, Lisburn and Castlereagh, United Kingdom
Aim
Our project will bring the game of cricket and our club to new areas and communities
Who are we?
Derriaghy C.C. was founded in 1920 and is located at 40 Queensway, Dunmurry, Co Antrim, BT17 9HG.
Our Club and facilities cater for 200+ members across senior male (aged 18+) and underage (aged 5-18), both males and females. We have Club activity at the facility going all year round. We have teams commencing from under 7 through to senior.
Community Impact
Derriaghy Cricket Club provides significant value to the local community, both in terms of sports and broader social impact. Here is how the club contributes:
1. Promoting Physical Health and Well-being
- Encouraging Active Lifestyles: By providing regular cricket training sessions, matches, and other physical activities, the club helps improve the physical fitness of community members, particularly young people.
- Mental Well-being: Sports participation is proven to reduce stress and anxiety, fostering a positive mental attitude. The cricket club provides an outlet for stress relief and promotes overall mental health.
2. Youth Engagement and Development
- Positive Environment for Youth: The club offers a constructive and safe space for young people to learn new skills, stay active, and build friendships.
- Character Development: Cricket teaches teamwork, discipline, leadership, and sportsmanship, helping to shape young players’ character and social skills, which are essential for their personal growth.
- Pathways for Future Opportunities: Through its programs, Derriaghy Cricket Club may open doors for youth to pursue cricket at higher levels or provide them with valuable life skills applicable beyond the sport.
3. Community Inclusion and Integration
- Breaking Social Barriers: By promoting cricket in new areas and communities, the club helps foster inclusivity, providing an opportunity for people of different backgrounds to come together through sport.
- Cultural Exchange: Cricket’s international appeal helps bring diverse groups together, promoting cultural exchange and understanding, which strengthens community bonds.
4. Family and Community Engagement
- Family-friendly Environment: The club organises family events, matches, and social gatherings that encourage community involvement.
- Volunteering Opportunities: Derriaghy Cricket Club offers a range of volunteer roles, including coaching, event management, and administration, allowing community members to contribute to and feel part of something larger.
5. Life Skills and Educational Support
- After-School Programs: With its new initiative to create after-school clubs, Derriaghy Cricket Club aims to support education by providing a structured activity where children can develop focus, discipline, and time management skills outside the classroom.
- Mentorship and Role Models: The club offers access to coaches and senior players who act as mentors, helping younger members develop both as athletes and individuals.
In essence, Derriaghy Cricket Club serves as a hub for sporting activity, social integration, and community support, helping to create a stronger, more connected, and healthier local community.
Why are we crowdfunding?
We are excited to launch our new sports programme for our local community here in Derriaghy. This autumn and winter, we’re launching a new sports programme designed to offer fun and active winter activities for young people in our community in particular.
Derriaghy Cricket Club is crowdfunding as part of Sport NI's initiative to support the development of a new sports program aimed at expanding cricket to new areas and communities. The funds raised will help the club establish community cricket hubs and after-school programs in primary schools, providing access to the sport for children who may not have had the opportunity to participate before.
The crowdfunding campaign seeks to:
- Create Community Cricket Clubs: These clubs will serve as local hubs for cricket, allowing more people, especially children, to engage with the sport in a structured environment. This will allow us to bring cricket to new areas and communities
- Launch Primary After-School Clubs: By introducing cricket into schools, the club aims to foster a love for the sport at a young age and provide an after-school activity that promotes physical health and social engagement. This will be aimed at new and rural schools which will bring us to new areas and communities.
- Broaden Community Engagement: The program will reach out to diverse areas and communities, including those that may not have had a strong tradition of cricket, ensuring the sport becomes more inclusive and accessible.
- Support Equipment and Coaching: The funds will help provide essential equipment, coaching, and facilities to ensure the program is successful and sustainable.
This project aligns with the club’s mission to grow the game of cricket and support youth development in sports. Our project will have a particular emphasis on: Young people, women and girls, new areas and communities
Our project will run from January-March (10 weeks), with 50 hours of Community Hubs and 50 hours of Afterschool Clubs. The project will target new and non-traditional areas and primary/secondary schools within the following areas: Ballinderry/Dunmurry/Finaghy/Hillsborough/Legacurry/Lisburn (new schools)/Maghaberry.
How we’ll spend the money raised
Your contributions will help us cover the costs of equipment, expert facilitators/coaches experienced in working with young people, specialist equipment, promoting the programme and so on. More specifically, our budget is as follows:
Coaching/Facilitator Fees: £5000
Details: Payment for qualified facilitators to lead the various different activities such as community hub coaching and afterschool club coaching. This includes compensation for their time, travel, and expertise over the 3 month period. 2 coaches x 100 hours each @ £25 per hour = £5000
Equipment and Materials: £2000
Details: Purchase of necessary equipment and materials for the programme to safely and effectively deliver the activities. Essential equipment: Tennis balls, Kwik cricket equipment, equipment bags, cricket balls.
Facility Hire: £2500
Details: Facility hire to run Community Hubs in new areas. 100 hours x £25 per hour = £2500
Promotional Materials and Marketing: £500
Details: Costs for promoting the programme within the community to ensure maximum participation. This includes printed materials (posters, flyers), social media advertising
How you can help!
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 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!
This project successfully funded on 7th January 2025