Bridgwater Cricket Covid Recovery Fund

Aim

Raising funds for facility improvements due to reduced income in 2020 due to Covid-19 so we are ready for the 2021 season

About us...

Bridgwater Cricket Club is a leading community cricket club which has been designated a focus club by the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to be a hub of the community network for cricket development, particularly for the benefit of children and young people. 

The Club has achieved Clubmark Accreditation by demonstrating that best practices are in place to develop and deliver high quality community cricket in a safe, effective and child-friendly way.

The club runs a thriving youth section running sides at under 15, under 13 and under 11 age groups and the club takes great pride in developing cricketers through its youth programme into the senior sides. Cricket starts at a young age for some with the All Stars programme for 5-8 year olds.

2021 also marks a new chapter for the club as it works with the ECB to become one of the Souths West's disability champion clubs. This will see inclusive cricket at the The Parks and host the 'Sedgemoor Lions', building on the successful Somerset Super1's programme from 2020.

The club is also very proud to have a thriving ladies section who have recently completed in the National T20 finals.

What are we doing and why?

COVID-19 impact 

The shortened 2020 season and Covid-19 restrictions created a reduction in revenue for the club. We only had half the normal fixtures, reduced income from sponsorship and reduced playing subscriptions.
We were also unable to host any of usual fundraising events such as race nights and quiz’s or hire the clubhouse for events such as parties or christenings.

As a club we are raising funds to counteract this shortfall and complete some planned improvements of the facilities at The Parks. Without these works the quality of pitches and availability of nets at training will deteriorate.
We also require replacement gazebos to support Covid-19 guidelines and to provide the players a safe and secure area during games.
Unfortunately we suffered a number of break ins during 2020 and there is works needed to repair damage caused and replace broken items... mainly the media system.

What will the money be spent on?

The funding is needed to ensure we are ready to return to cricket ahead of the 2021 season.

The money raised will be used on a number of key areas;

• Replace the beyond repair training cage and net
• Repair the sight screen at The Park Road end
• Replace the side sheet covers to protect the pitch
• Repair the damaged mowers
• Purchase a gazebo for players to use on the ‘Axl’ ground
• Repair damaged gazebos used on the main pitch
• Install security gates on the score hub door
• Purchase 2 mobile sight screens

In addition to this we continue to self generate revenue to cover the running costs of the club; ground maintenance, umpires fee's, coaching costs, Covid PPE equipment etc.

Who in the community will benefit from this project?

The cricket club is a thriving community hub throughout the summer and provides a great place for families and friends to watch and play sport.

Achieving our target will allow us to continue providing great safe sporting facilities for the local area.

Covid-19 has had a big impact on reducing people’s accessibility to team sports. Completing the planned works will allow this to return to normal and allow our 100+ youth and senior cricketers to use the facilities and clubhouse for recreational cricket as detailed below;

• Current and future junior members to train and play weekly
• Somerset over 50’s match scheduled at the ground in 2021
• Somerset Cricket Board to utilise the practise facilities
• 4 senior sides to train and play weekly
• Dedicated ladies section to train and play weekly
• Cricket lovers in the community, entry to all games is free so the club provides hours of entertainment for no cost.
• All-Stars (5 to 8 year old children's introduction to cricket)
• Sedgemoor Lions inclusive cricket 

The club also has has strong links to local charities and has supported a number of these over the past couple years. Events held at the club and fundraising has helped raise in excess of £5k for The British Heart foundation, Ward 9 at Musgrove Park Hospital & the 'Love Musgrove' fund

2021 Season....

The playing season appears that it will start again on time this year, but with similar restrictions in place to the 2020 season initially.
This will limit the potential revenue the club makes as the clubhouse will still be unable to host other community events such as birthday parties, christenings etc.

This project successfully funded on 20th April 2021