How Penarth CC crowdfunded to support the next generation

Raised £6,520 from 25 supporters

+£1,500 match funding from Sport Wales: A Place for Sport

Penarth Cricket Club, based in the Vale of Glamorgan, is one of Wales’ largest and most inclusive community cricket clubs. With a thriving junior section, a growing women’s and girls’ programme, and multiple senior teams, it offers opportunities for players of all ages and backgrounds.

“We are a community and family-based cricket club in South Wales seeking to create a cricket offer to many people which is inclusive and a great experience,” the club explained on its Crowdfunder page.

As the club’s membership continued to expand, its facilities and equipment began to struggle to keep pace with the demand.

The Challenge

Penarth CC’s ground was reaching capacity. Its small two-bay nets could no longer cope with the number of players training each week, and essential maintenance equipment was nearing the end of its lifespan.

“Our small two-bay nets are struggling in terms of quality and capacity to cope,” the club wrote.

The Vale of Glamorgan Council had stopped providing grounds maintenance support, leaving the club responsible for expensive upkeep costs. A new heavy roller, square mower and scarifier were urgently needed to maintain safe, high-quality pitches.

The Crowdfunding Campaign

The club launched its Crowdfunder campaign in late 2024 with two goals:

1. To fund the purchase of a heavy roller with help from the Sport Wales “A Place for Sport” match-funding scheme.
2. To raise additional funds and awareness for its long-term ambition to build a new four-bay net facility.

“Part of this Crowdfunder scheme is to apply to Sport Wales’ Crowdfunder scheme to support the purchase of a heavy roller,” they explained. “We also want to use this platform in a wider way to appeal to anyone with a link, emotional, historic, or otherwise, with Penarth Cricket Club to consider making a donation.”

The heavy roller was the immediate focus, providing an achievable short-term win while helping lay the groundwork for the much larger development ahead.

Funding & Results

The campaign set an initial target of £5,000 and went on to raise £6,520 from 25 supporters.

A major factor in reaching the target was the £1,500 match funding from Sport Wales, which directly supported the purchase of the heavy roller and encouraged more supporters to donate.

Outcomes & Impact

The successful campaign enabled Penarth Cricket Club to:

• Purchase a heavy roller, ensuring the club can maintain its pitches to a high and safe standard
• Continue providing high-quality facilities for its 450 junior players and 90 senior members
• Support one of the largest All Stars and Dynamos programmes in the UK, alongside growing women’s and girls’ teams
• Build momentum and visibility for the longer-term nets development project

Challenges & Learnings

Penarth CC’s experience showed how smaller, tangible goals can galvanise a community around a bigger vision. By breaking a major project into achievable steps, starting with the heavy roller, the club proved that crowdfunding can serve both short-term needs and long-term ambitions.

The visibility of the Sport Wales partnership also inspired trust, showing supporters exactly how their contributions would make an impact.

Thinking about crowdfunding for your sports facilities? Find out if you could be eligible to receive up to £15,000 from Sport Wales!