Buckingham Town Cricket Club Improvements

Aim

Improve facilities at the club to allow more people to play cricket and allow greater utilisation for a broader range of community activity

Overview

Buckingham Town Cricket Club is a focus club in north Bucks with over 100 adult and 200 junior members.  The focus of the club is twofold:  offer a great cricketing experience for all and to open the club’s facilities to benefit the wider local community.

The club has achieved Clubmark Accreditation by demonstrating best practices in a sustainable, well run, child-friendly environment providing an opportunity for all.                                           

As the town grows there is more and more demand for places in the junior section and the club is doing all it can to meet this increased demand.  In 2021 there will be multiple teams in the U11s through to U15s age groups in addition to the delivery of the ECB’s All Stars (5-8) and the brand new Dynamos Cricket (8-11) programs.

The quality of life in any town setting is enhanced greatly by the presence of sports and social clubs. In the summer months Buckingham Town Cricket Club complements the health and wellbeing of the town's residents by offering the very best cricketing experience to all ages and abilities either as a player or indeed a spectator.

The club also supports representative county cricket in Buckinghamshire, hosting matches and offering training facilities for an enormous range of ages from the Under10s to Over 70s squads.

What are we doing and why?

COVID-19 Impact

In 2020 the club ‘celebrated’ its 150th anniversary. 

A calendar of planned special events could not take place because of the impact of the Covid -19 pandemic.  The loss of revenue from membership fees, sponsorship, bar profits and social fundraising events is estimated to be in excess of £15,000 and has hit the club extremely hard.  The funding shortage has been made even worse by the bad weather experienced in May 2021 with very little cricket being able to be played.  This has further hit revenue with a loss of £2500.  Planned improvements could not go ahead because of the lack of funds.  This Crowdfunding campaign will aim to raise funds to allow for these vital improvements to go ahead.

The Aims of the Project

To provide even more opportunity for boys and girls in the community to experience the best possible coaching at the Club.  This will be done by:

·       Recruiting new junior coaches.

·       Improving the skill sets of the existing ECB qualified coaches through to ECB Level 2.          

To renovate and repair the essential facilities within the pavilion.

·       This will benefit everyone – players, parents, spectators and those from outside the club in the local community who regularly use the venue.                 

To provide additional seating at the ground to allow all visitors to spectate in a safer, more comfortable environment                                 

To support the delivery of junior coaching the club urgently needs to purchase:

·       Pitch covers/coconut matting to protect both the square and match wickets to ensure that junior matches are not cancelled due to adverse weather. 

·       Training equipment to enhance the delivery of coaching of the junior girls and boys. 

Who will benefit from this project?

In short, the community at large.

Buckingham is a thriving town, and the cricket club is mindful of the contribution it makes to the local community.   Whether playing or watching it is a great venue, situated within a short walk from the town centre, for families to enjoy summer sport and benefit from being outside in a safe and welcoming environment.  

The club’s facilities are an asset to the town, and the Club is willing and eager to offer them, as frequently as possible, to existing groups in the community and attract new users in order to provide benefit for them.

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The club recognises the need to share it's facilities wherever possible.......

Current Beneficiaries from Outside of the Club:  

Buckingham Hockey Club

• The club uses Stowe School for their matches and use BTCC for post-match hospitality and changing/showering facilities and for social functions.

University of the Third Age (U3A) - Buckingham & District Croquet Club

o   With over 700 members the U3A Croquet Club uses the clubhouse and the cricket outfield for their practice sessions once a week from April-October

The University of Buckingham 

o   The university has no cricket facilities so BTCC membership and all the training facilities are offered free of charge to their students

The Royal Latin School, Buckingham & The Buckingham School

o   Matches are held at BTCC as the school has no outdoor cricket pitches

Ladies Fitness Club

o   A weekly session, held throughout the year, for up to 20 ladies that attend

Buckingham Pre School Playgroup

o   There is a shortage of pre-school places in the town and BPP hire the clubhouse during the school terms for up to 25 children

Local cricket clubs

o   The outdoor practise nets are utilised (free of charge) by other local cricket clubs

o   Buckingham Town CC financially supports the cost of maintenance of the grounds at Winslow Town CC and Gawcott & Hillesden CC which it uses for 3rd and 4th XI fixtures.

o   The club lends specialist ground equipment to other local clubs

Support for Local charities 

The club gas always supported local charities.  On 30 August 2020 the club raised £1000 for Alec’s Angels, a children’s cancer charity.  With some outstanding support from the local community the club broke the Guinness World Record for the most runs 12-hours.  6,805 runs completed!  This was a fantastic demonstration of the club and local community coming together to put on an event of which the Town can be proud.

Planned Community Support Events for 2021

Covid measures allowing, in 2021 the club will continue to play an active part in the community with sporting, social and fundraising events to further support the local community and charities providing:

·       Cricket for all ages and abilities

·       End of season Family Fun Day:    First held in 2019 this was very much a town event with live music, children’s activities and entertainment and the opportunity for local businesses to set up stalls to sell their products to the community

·       Outdoor music concerts and film nights

·       Friday Night Junior Training with BBQ

·       Race night

·       Community quiz nights

·       A venue for hire for parties and functions to help raise club funds

·       Bi-annual Summer Ball

ALL OF THE ABOVE EVENTS ARE OPEN FOR ALL IN THE TOWN AND WIDER COMMUNITY TO ATTEND

The money raised for these essential improvements will have a hugely beneficial impact both in the delivery of cricket and the club’s ability to support the wider community.

Please support this Crowdfunding Project and either donate directly or choose one of the varied rewards on offer.  The money raised will make a very substantial difference to all who visit Buckingham Town Cricket Club for many years to come.

                                              
 ENJOY THE SEASON!!                 

This project successfully funded on 16th June 2021