Freeland CC Bowling Machine and SightscreenProject

Aim

Freeland CC is overhauling its outdoor cricket nets and need a bowling machine to assist the development of children, young people and women

WHO ARE WE?

Freeland CC is a small village in West Oxfordshire, however it is a big cricket village. 

The club has over 100 children and young people, 25 women and 25 men playing cricket weekly.

Freeland CC is based in the village's park, and all of our coaching and matches take place here. We have 2 coaching nets which were built 20 years ago.

The club starts coaching in February and ends in September, we provide approx. 1,000 hours of coaching per year, all provided by unpaid volunteers who are qualified cricket coaches. The coaches have been able to develop some younger cricketers to play for Oxfordshire in both the boys and girls representative teams.

From April there is cricket being played in the village on every day, with coaching taking place on 4 evenings and matches on the other 3 days.

Community Impact

Freeland CC is central to the village and offers a highly successful community resource. It has been identified that more people in the village play cricket rather than any other sport.

Why are we crowd-funding? 

The cricket club's infrastructure is ageing and is being used more now than ever before. In 2022 the club's members undertook fundraising to replace the matting and nets, this activity enabled the club to raise £6,000. However, that was the first stage of the improvement plan.

The second stage is to fundraise for a professional quality bowling machine and sight screens. We estimate these will cost the club an additional £6,000.

The new bowling machine will enhance the coaching opportunity, it will be used throughout the year and will vastly improve the ability and skill of all the players, and we hope to be able to support more of our boys and girls onto the County Pathway process, so they are able to have a career in professional cricket.

The club's sight screens are over 25 years old and have been updated as much as it physically possible, they are also too short for modern cricket requirements. The club needs to raise another £3,000 to replace the sight screens and have a number of replacement slats for the windy weather!

This project successfully funded on 15th February 2023