Who are we? - Thatcham Town Cricket Club and Kennet School Cricket
Thatcham Town Cricket Club and Kennet School Cricket are working in partnership to deliver excellent cricket development opportunities for young people in the area.
Three years ago, cricket at Kennet School was nearly non-existent. Since then, we have gone from strength to strength and now have a thriving cricket community within the school with nearly 100 pupils involved with school cricket across the year groups. This drive for growth has been led by the school's club and county pathways players, supported by Mr Peppiatt, Head of Cricket, who also coaches Oxfordshire CCC pathways.
Why are we crowdfunding?
So far, Kennet School has had the two artificial pitches replaced, going from this...
To this...
We have refurbished the outdoor nets from this...
To this...
We have run annual trips to County T20 matches, developed the Kennet Indoor Cricket League, and established a thriving cricket club within the school.
The next step in the plan to continue growing cricket at Kennet School is to install usable indoor nets to go from the picture at the top and a little bit further down to something that will allow players to develop their skills all year round.
Thatcham Town CC is looking to move their winter training from Newbury back to Thatcham. Installing new indoor nets at the Kennet Leisure Centre will allow this to happen, providing local players of all ages with the opportunity to train in their area and bringing new players into the fold.
Sport England have awarded a conditional offer of £15,000 provided the same amount can be raised through CrowdFunder. We also have £5,000 committed in matching funding and a further £5,000 grant from Greenham Trust.
How we’ll spend the money raised
All the money raised will go to the development of cricket facilities at the Kennet Leisure Centre.
This will involve:
- installing new nets; 2 double bay nets for £39,300 (including VAT)
- purchasing new mats for £6,546 (including VAT)
Total cost including VAT: £45,846
Community impact
Cricket has a profound and positive impact on the wider community, transcending cultural, social, and geographical boundaries. One of the primary reasons is its ability to bring people together. Whether it's a local match or an international tournament, cricket fosters a sense of unity, encouraging people from diverse backgrounds to share a common passion. The sport provides a platform for individuals to connect, creating lifelong friendships and networks.
Moreover, as a sport, cricket teaches young people essential life skills about communication, respect, leadership, decision-making, and keeping a clear head in tough times. Developing these skills has a ripple effect on the entire community as the sport grows in its importance within the community.
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!