Matfen Cricket Club Community Crowdfunder 2022

Aim

We are fundraising to install an ECB approved two lane training net, so that players of all ages and abilities can train safely side by side

Who we are and how we got here

We are a cricket club in rural Northumberland, set in the beautiful village of Matfen. The club has a long history, dating back to the 1860s.

As a result of the pandemic, the club faced some huge challenges. 

For many years, our grounds maintenance had been done by the greenskeepers at the local golf course. In 2020, this came under new ownership, and between lockdowns, furlough and then extensive renovations, our previous maintenance arrangement was no longer possible.

We also lost the ground sharing arrangement we had with a local club, losing vital revenue.

On top of this, our trusty roller broke down, requiring large sums to hire a replacement and then to fix it.

Faced with all of this, the club could have easily folded. But club members and volunteers from the community were determined to make sure that this would not happen. 

The club invested all available funds in mowers, equipment and tools. Volunteers worked hard to maintain the cricket pitch, and the grounds were restored, including the overgrown football pitch.

We also managed to find a new team to share the ground with. Blue Flames CC, a team based just outside Newcastle had lost the use of their ground due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic, and were delighted to be welcomed to a new home.

So despite the setbacks, Matfen Cricket Club have bounced back and become stronger than ever, and after forming a great relationship with the Blue Flames in 2021, we are joining forces as one club from this season on.

This means that we will have two senior teams playing on Saturdays, as well as a midweek team. Indoor training is currently taking place as we look forward to the season.

2021 also saw the development of a new women and girls section, with up to 40 women taking part in training every Friday night in the summer, as well as taking part in softball festivals around the county. We hosted our own festival last July, and this season the women have entered a team in the brand new Softball league.

Three of our female players turn out regularly for the senior teams, and two of these players are in the Northern Diamonds Academy.

Last summer we ran junior sessions free of charge every Sunday morning, open to all. We recognised that even if household finances had been affected by the pandemic, this should not be a barrier to participation.

As for the football pitch, once it had been restored, we hosted some junior games and ran Walking Football sessions.

Why are we crowdfunding

COVID threatened the viability of the club, and we came very close to losing sports facilities in our community. But thanks to hard work from volunteers, a strong sense of community, and our relationship with Blue Flames, we are now in a much stronger position.

This is obviously great news, but has highlighted the need to improve our training facilities if we are to support the different needs of everyone at our club. 

We are proposing to install an ECB approved two-lane training net, that will mean players of all standards and ages can train safely side by side. We will be applying to the ECB County grants fund, but that will only cover part of the costs.

How can you help

By donating to our crowdfunding campaign, you will be helping to support a club with great potential, run by volunteers, providing sports facilities and activities for all in a beautiful rural setting. 

As we recover from the effects of the pandemic, there is also the potential for any donations to our campaign to be matchfunded. Any amount raised in excess of our target will go towards a storage shed, new goalposts and field improvements. We would also love to one day run electricity to the clubhouse. 

With your help we will be able to offer excellent sports facilities and activities all year round for the community.

Thank you.

This project successfully funded on 9th May 2022