Belfast International Sports Club (BISC..Est 2006)

Who are we?

Belfast International Sports Club (BISC) is a truly international community, with many of our players coming from Asian ethnic backgrounds. Some of our members have played cricket at various levels in India, while others have experience in high school cricket. For some, however, white ball cricket is a new sport. The mix of skill levels is diverse, but the goal is to play high-quality cricket. The club is open to everyone, any ethnicity and gender. 

We currently have 6 teams competing in different leagues:

• Team 1 in Section 2
• Team 2 & 3 in Junior Section 3
• Team 4 in Junior Section 8
• Team 5 in Junior Section 9
• Mid-week team in Midweek league.

We are eager to involve more young people & women in cricket, especially during the summer, to help build their confidence in the game. We plan to do this through summer coaching sessions that will focus on cricket skills development, physical training, fielding, and handling the cricket ball.

Why are we crowdfunding?

The club is currently facing a decline in membership and a lack of sponsorship, which has resulted in significant financial challenges. While existing members continue to contribute towards the costs, the rising expenses make it increasingly difficult to attract new talent or expand into new areas like youth cricket or a women’s cricket team.

Despite these difficulties, we successfully secured a ground at Billy Neil’s – Dundonald two years ago. However, the cost of hiring the facility remains high. To ensure the club's sustainability and support our long-term goals, including the introduction of youth cricket, we require additional funds. These funds will enable us to run coaching sessions for children at an affordable cost, purchase quality cricket kits for all age groups, and cover the expenses related to facility hire and other essential training materials.

Financial support is essential for the club to continue its efforts in developing cricket, especially for the youth and future generations of players.

How we’ll spend the money raised

-Is to involve more and more young people of Northern Ireland into Cricket !

-Help develop the cricketing skills  from a very early age. ( starting from 7/8 years..)

- Life in Universities across Northern Ireland has been increasingly stressful for students, cricket would help them relive the stress, we aim to involve students at a very affordable fee.

- Affordable equipment's for all, Free use of Clubs equipment: Cricket bat, Pads, Helmet, Arm guard, Thigh guard, etc.  

- Funding will help us procure more cricket kits for new members so that they don't have to spend money on buying the equipment so less burden on students.

- Similarly for younger kids so that Parents don't have to worry about procuring the safety gear.

- Other club miscellaneous expenses so that the burden is not passed on to the players and we can get more and more people to participate in the game.

- Bear the cost of ground  for use of training and cricketing facilities. 

-Bear the cost of regular training conducted as part of the club.

Community impact

In Northern Ireland, young children are generally introduced to football rather than cricket, which is disappointing given cricket's vast potential. Cricket is a sport that develops skill, balance, strength, and strategy, and building muscle memory from an early age is essential to excelling in the game. More importantly, cricket is a fun and exciting sport with broad appeal, followed by an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide.

There is also a strong desire to increase female participation in cricket in Northern Ireland, where the current female participation rate is under 10%. A key focus is to engage more women, particularly South Asian women, in the sport. Involving more women in cricket not only encourages outdoor activity in the summer but also promotes mental health and overall well-being. By supporting the formation of a women's cricket team, the club aims to make a positive impact on health, lifestyle, and community cohesion.

Image of BISC outdoor event held in 2023 attracted lot of youths from all over Northern Ireland. Attended by Lisburn City Council staff

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. 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!