St Chad's Broomfield Cricket Club Covid Recovery

Aim

Replacing the existing poor quality facilities with a modern pavilion incorporating all changing and social facilities.

Introduction

As you may know (if local to us), we are the only amateur cricket club in Headingley, Leeds with over 140 years of history. Our club continues to grow and now comprises of twelve senior league teams (more than any other club in Yorkshire!), which includes our new women and girls team. Our thriving junior section has eight teams, from U9’s to U18’s. As a result, we currently have over 500 individuals who are closely associated with our club.

Achievements

As well as several league titles and cup wins in recent years, we have also introduced 250 local children to cricket for the first time through our All Stars programme, started our new women and girls section and organised three successful beer festivals. We are also another year closer to starting work on our new pavilion. These are exciting times for us, and we would really like you to be involved with our successful and rapidly growing club.

Breaking News: This season we will be linking up with local disability charities to provide cricket activities to those who have not had the opportunity in the past.

Covid

The pandemic has had a huge impact on our club finances. We have seen a loss of income from sponsorship and have also had to cancel the Far Headingley Beer Festival that we organise for the local community, both last year and this.

As a result of this loss of income, we have fallen short of our fundraising target for the new pavilion, which once built will benefit both the local community and the club members, as well as secure the future of the club for many years to come.

This crowdfunding campaign will hopefully provide us with the opportunity to get back on track, and if we can reach our £20,000 target over the coming weeks, Sport England may consider us for an additional pledge towards our cause.

Challenges

The Club has grown considerably during the last seven years and has achieved notable success - both in terms of an increase in senior and junior membership as well as achieving on field playing success.

This growth whilst obviously welcome has led to:

• An acceptance that the current facilities are not fit for purpose given the increase in demands from a playing, training and social perspective.
• Heightened expectation amongst the membership of the quality of facilities needed and demanded to improve further.
• Greater demands being placed on those involved in running the Club and its off the field programme.

Aims

In order to pursue its development programme, the Club has adopted ten broad aims. These relate to its major areas of operation. They are listed below: 

• Improve the quality of all playing and non-playing facilities.
• Improve the quality and standard of all existing and future playing and practice facilities and other surrounding areas around the ground.
• Increase the number of qualified coaches and actively recruit volunteers. Extend coach education and training programmes.
• Retain existing players, attract new ones and extend the range of teams.
• Ensure that all activities of the Club are carried out with a view to accepted Equity and Equality policies.
• Promote player performance and opportunities for all players within the club to improve their skills. Through links with all partners improve the standard of cricket at the Club.
• Enhance and further develop links with Schools and School Sport Initiatives.
• Improve the Club’s off field administrative procedures and ensure effective promotion of the Club within the local community.
• Attract more income through increased sponsorship and other financial measures.
• Develop a full programme of social activities that promotes the club in the community, enhances its appeal to players, parents and others and that also supports the club’s financial stability.

The one aim that will take more time, energy and finances than all the others is for the Club to improve the quality of all playing and non-playing facilities. This includes replacing the existing poor quality facilities with a modern pavilion incorporating all changing and social facilities.

We are extremely fortunate to have such a wonderful setting to play our cricket and although we realize that we will never have the largest ground, we feel we are able to make what we have as good as any facility in the area which will support the continued development of our Club.

This project successfully funded on 30th April 2021