Esher Cricket Club - Nets Refurbishment

Aim

To raise funds towards the cost of developing our outdoor nets moving from 4 to 7 nets, 3 with extended run ups.

Who? Esher Cricket Club is a community based not-for-profit organisation primarily run and managed by volunteers. The 1st XI play in the Surrey Championship Premier League, up to 7 adult teams play every Saturday and in excess of 700 matches are organised each year for young cricketers age 5 to 19 including a successful and ever growing girls and ladies section. Currently we have c500 boys and 160 girls between the ages of 5 and 18 registered at the club and look to provide both a positive and enjoyable experience for all. Esher Cricket Club is Clubmark registered and maintains a strong non-discriminatory ethos.

What? We are looking to add three synthetic cricket nets adjacent to the existing net practice facility. In addition and if funds allow, phase 2 of the project is to add a security perimeter fence  to both the existing and new nets to enable different ages and abilities to train at the same time and to enhance the security of the facility. The new nets will have extended run ups and will result in a first class environment of 7 nets for adult and junior cricketers to use.

Why? Our nets are currently used every mid-week afternoon and each mid-week evening. All day at weekends and throughout the Easter and Summer holidays for coaching courses. Capacity is currently limited with only 4 nets available for use. Given the constraints on available practice facility we have closed the U9, U10 and U11 age groups to new members. We estimate that the addition of 3 new nets would enable us to cater for an additional 150 young cricketers. Once built we would be able to schedule say the U8 girls using softball and U15 boys using hardball to train at the same time in the nets, in a totally safe environment, given the security fencing between the old and the new net facility. 

In addition, the new nets will enable the Club to offer enhanced practice facilities to local schools and colleges for which we are seeing an increased demand. 

The cost of the new nets is £88,000. We have already raised in the region of £40,000 and are aiming to raise £28,000 in phase one of this crowdfund and a further £32,000 to enable the security fencing to be built. We are hopeful that we will then receive further grants of £10,000 from both Surrey CCC and Sport England. 

Phase 3 of this project, again if funds allow, would be to install hybrid wickets on both the main square and the junior squares at New Road. This would enable much greater use of the grass facilities that we have. 

Your support in any way you feel able will be very much appreciated and enable both this and future generations of children to enjoy our magnificent sport.

We would also very much like to hear from any corporates or individuals who feel able to offer some form of significant sponsorship in respect of the project.

To encourage donations we will be offering Rewards based on the amount of the donation. The rewards can be viewed on this page. 

Rewards will be available for each category of donation and will be limited in number and be allocated on a first come first served basis. 

This project successfully funded on 13th December 2022