Sport England - Movement Fund has provided £15,000 of match funding
A secure future for ladies, girls & junior cricket
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
£23,469
Target: £31,000
71 supporters
45 days left
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Aim
We urgently need to build a nursery wicket for ladies, girls, and junior teams as our main square can't cope with the current demand.
Who are we?
Shepley Cricket Club sits at the heart of our village on the outskirts of Huddersfield. We are proud to offer cricket for every age and stage, with teams ranging from All Stars (4-7 years old) through U9, U11, U13, U15 and U17, alongside three adult open‑age teams.
Over the last few years, we’ve seen incredible growth in women’s and girls’ cricket. We now run:
- An U11 Girls Softball Team
- An U13 Girls Softball Team
- Two ladies’ open‑age softball teams
- A new ladies’ open‑age hardball team
This growth is something we passionately believe in and want to continue, including re-introduction of an U15 Girls hardball team ready for the 2027 season.
The challenge:
Our facilities haven’t kept pace with participation. Our main square & field are already stretched beyond capacity, and continued growth means we’re facing an impossible choice: which teams can no longer be supported.
That goes against everything we stand for. We are determined that everyone who wants to play cricket in our community should be able to do so – regardless of age or gender.
- We have the space.
- We have committed volunteers.
- What we lack is the funding to make it happen.
Why are we crowdfunding?
To protect existing teams and support future growth, we urgently need to create a new all‑weather nursery ground.
The total project cost is £31,000, which will cover:
- Installation of a new all‑weather wicket
- Essential ground preparation on a currently disused area
- Relocation of a container
- Removal of part of the hardstanding car park
- Changes to the existing practice nets
- Relocation of 3‑phase electrics
We are incredibly fortunate that Sport England has awarded us £15,000 in match funding. To unlock this funding and complete the project, we need to raise the remaining £16,000 through this Crowdfunder.
Reaching this target will allow us to have the new pitch ready for the 2027 season, ensuring we can continue to offer cricket for everyone in our village.
How we’ll spend the money raised
The money we raise will go on funding the necessary work to prepare the ground, and install an all-weather wicket. The details of the cost breakdown are below:
Community impact
Cricket is now the only inclusive sport left in our community.
- The local football team has folded due to a lack of players & volunteers
- The only alternative sports facility is a members‑only tennis court, that is already oversubscribed.
Shepley CC offers something unique: a safe, welcoming space where women, girls, children and adults can all take part, build friendships, improve confidence, and stay active.
What our players say
“Both myself and my daughter love being part of Shepley Cricket Club. For me, it’s been wonderful to be part of a team, celebrating the highs and lows that come with any sport. However, the support these ladies give cannot be measured – both on and off the field. It is the true nature of community.”
“For my daughter, cricket has given her confidence in abundance – confidence that has gone from the field to the classroom. We are so grateful to Shepley for giving us the opportunity to play with such amazing people.”
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“Playing cricket at Shepley has helped me find a love for the sport so much that I now want to coach to help girls and women in the future. It’s given me time for myself away from work and being a mum of four, as well as lifelong friendships. I can’t imagine cricket not being part of my life now.”
With an additional pitch, we won’t have to stop any current teams and will be able to support even more women, girls and junior players in the years ahead.
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!
Every contribution brings us one step closer to ensuring cricket at Shepley remains inclusive, sustainable and open to all.
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 30th July 2026 at 2:10pm