Target reached!
Any extra money will go towards funding all the work our junior section does with yo...
South Shields CC Juniors Artificial Pitches
South Shields, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom
Aim
Help fund installation of two new artificial pitches for juniors to practice on and purchase of new net cage.
Who are we?
South Shields Cricket Club were formed in 1850 and been playing at our Wood Terrace ground since 1867. The club remains one of the biggest in the North East and again plans to field four senior teams each weekend in 2023. The club's junior section continues to thrive with our 13 junior teams playing an amazing 176 games in the 2022 season, 137 of these were hardball. The club are particularly proud of our girls, who played 41 of these games as girl only teams including ten hardball games.
Girls section meeting with England star Joe Root on their Lords trip in September 2022
The club is very proud of the impact it makes in our community. In 2021 we launched our first Crowdfunder "Hit COVID for Six" which launched a successful campaign to replace our ancient ground equipment to allow us to be able to maintain our ground to the standard needed to cater for all the new young people we were getting active through cricket after the rigors of COVID isolation. Girls, young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and ethnic minority communities were especially targeted. The club continued to build on this iniative through the support of Crowdfunder 2 last year as can be seen by the ever increasing number of young people playing more and more games.
Why are we crowdfunding?
We need to replace this!
Our existing artificial pitch installed 1991!
Our volunteer coaches work very hard over the winter developing the techniques and skills needed for our juniors to become good cricketers. Unfortunately, due to the lack of practice facilities at Wood Terrace, it is very limited to what practice can take place in the summer. The club is working very hard to secure funds for two new artificial pitches which would have a massive impact on the continuing development of our juniors and would allow them to practice safely throughout the season. So many of our juniors are developing the skills read to begin their hardball careers, especially our girl only section, the need for these surfaces has never been more pressing. The new pitches would also ease the pressure on our square and the workload on our volunteer ground staff. If we reach our target for this Crowdfunder then we will have guaranteed that the full funds will be in place for this project.
The last three years have been disastrously financially for our club meaning that all the money needed for this project has had to be funded without the use of our clubhouse. First COVID restrictions prevented any functions to raise funds or bar revenue being earned. Secondly, since severe storm damage in November 2021 the clubhouse has yet to be reopened. With the cost of living crisis also hitting many in our community, the club has never been more appreciative of outside support.
We really could not have made the impact we have made on the young people in our community over the last two years without your support, especially through our two previous Crowdfunder campaigns where thanks to your generosity we achieved our £20 000 target both times.
How are we spending the money raised?
We need two of these!
ECB approved artificial pitch
Fundraising has gone well so far but we need to reach our target to ensure that we have funds in place to replace our current unusable artificial pitch and an accompanying one. Additionally, we would like to help purchase net cages for our juniors to use when they train at Oakleigh Gardens, where our younger age groups played over 40 games last season, courtesy of Simonside CC.
Girls U10 Harry Hubber Hardball Cup Team after win v all boys team 2022 at Oakleigh Gardens
How will it be used and by who?
The artificial pitches will be in constant use throughout the summer providing our flourishing junior section with opportunities to practice properly and regularly each night of the week. We will have over hundred juniors involved this summer as well as beginners attending ECB National Programmes (All Stars and Dynamoes). The artificial pitches will also be used four days a week during our junior summer camps which are free to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. This project will allow more young people to have more opportunities to be active.
Girls U10 Harry Hubber Hardball Cup Team after win v all boys team 2022
Under 11A DCBJL Play Off Cup Winners 2022
Community impact
The club is very inclusive. The club offers free places and kit to those young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, has a thriving girl only section and for the second year in a row, 22% of our juniors are from ethnic minorities. Club volunteers run free cricket clubs in partner primary schools. For the last two summer school holidays, the club has run 18 days of all day camps that were free to those children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The club has played a big role in keeping young people active and engaged since COVID.
Summer camp 2022
Parental feedback
Every summer, junior parents are surveyed. The 2022 feedback was extremely positive recognizing the physical, mental and social impact that the club had made on their children.
“My daughter has never engaged in extra-curricular activities. She would start but give it up after a couple of sessions. She was given positive and constructive feedback and support which has had an absolutely amazing impact. It was a pleasure to see my normally timid and nervous girl bounding across the pitch to take part in sessions."
“Watching my son improve his skills and build strong friendship groups with his team members whilst be active enjoying the fresh air has been absolutely amazing. The boys love their time at the club. Not only the children but the parents to have formed great friendship groups. Forever grateful to all the coaches at South Shields Cricket Club they do an amazing job. Bringing families together through cricket.”
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. If you want to run your own fundraiser to support us, 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!
Sport England: Active Together has provided £10,000 of match funding
This project successfully funded on 5th April 2023