Target reached!
The support we have had has been truly overwhelming and far beyond our expectations....
Whitchurch Cricket Club Vandalism Recovery
Whitchurch, Shropshire, United Kingdom
Aim
To recover from the recent acts of vandalism and to refurbish the clubhouse to a modern and vibrant space.
Welcome to the Crowdfunding page for Whitchurch Cricket Club
Founded in 1863, Whitchurch Cricket Club in Shropshire has been part of the community of Whitchurch for over 160 years. The Club has achieved Clubmark Accreditation by demonstrating that best practices are in place to develop and deliver high quality community cricket in a safe, effective and child-friendly way.
We are a friendly, sociable community cricket club run entirely by a committee of volunteers and coaches.
Why are we crowdfunding?
Over the past 12 months, the clubhouse has endured 4 different incidents of vandalism. Each time the windows in the clubhouse have been smashed and entrance doors damaged, as well as leaving the internal decor requiring a refurbishment. This has had a major financial impact on the club, as we have had to endure the financial burden of the cost of the repairs, a huge loss in revenue due to private hire cancellations and the inability to take bookings whilst repairs are being conducted.
Alongside having to refurbish the clubhouse and to prevent vandals being able to carry out such acts again we are having to increase our security, install shutters on all our windows and doors and add additional CCTV cameras. All this unplanned work comes at a cost and we are now having to redirect finances which would otherwise be spent on essential equipment for all our teams, from juniors right through to seniors, annual maintenance costs and general bills to fund the costs of increasing our security and the required refurbishments.
About us….
We currently have three senior teams playing in the Shropshire Cricket Leagues. Our 3rd XI senior team is our development team which aims to aid juniors transitioning into adult cricket.
We have a large progressive, successful and flourishing junior section with multiple teams in age groups from U9 to U15 and we also run the ECB All Stars programme for 5-8yr olds.
We are exceptionally proud that many of our homegrown players have been selected to represent Shropshire County Cricket as well as one female player going on to become a professional cricketer and being chosen to play for England.
This year we initiated a thriving and actively growing Women’s and Girls Softball team, comprising of mixed ages & abilities, including some who’d never played cricket before. They played in the Shropshire Softball North League and they also took part in various tournaments.
Due to the overwhelming keenness from the players, during the winter months they have continued to train but have moved to an indoor environment.
Not only do our own teams use our ground and facilities but we are also privileged to host various matches for Shropshire County Cricket.
This year we were honoured to host a three day NCCA Championship match between Shropshire and Wiltshire.
Community Impact
We actively work to improve local community engagement by involving volunteers in junior matches and day-to-day club operations. The young through to the elderly contribute by umpiring, scoring, and helping maintain the grounds. We encourage older junior members to participate in training sessions with younger kids, acting as role models, and offer coaching pathways for young adults to develop skills within the local community.
Shropshire Cricket Volunteer of the Month Award - Oliver Furber, a teenager who has learning difficulties who has been helping out at Whitchurch Cricket Club over the past 12 months.
Iain Marsh Club Chair said: “Oliver has spent numerous hours working on the grounds at Whitchurch, strimming and cutting the grass using his own equipment.
“He wasn’t asked to work, he just turned up at the ground and offered to help. Hopefully this award will encourage him to continue working on cricket grounds in the future.”
Click the links below to see our media coverage
BBC Radio Shropshire Interview
Whitchurch Town Council Support
How we’ll spend the money raised
The money raised through this crowdfunder will contribute to funding the costs associated with increasing our security and the refurbishment of the clubhouse following damage caused by the vandalism.
Our aim is to have new windows & doors installed, with external security shutters to prevent damage being caused again, to redecorate the interior of the clubhouse and replace furniture which has been damaged by broken glass. By doing this we can continue to ensure we have a safe welcoming environment for everyone in the community of Whitchurch and surrounding areas associated with the club.
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. Rewards. We are building the rewards we can offer on a daily basis, so keeping checking as they’re maybe something which catches your eye. If you are a local business you too can get involved 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!
Sport England: Active Together has provided £3,000 of match funding
This project successfully funded on 11th December 2023