The England and Wales Cricket Trust (EWCT) is pleased to announce that Grampound Road Cricket Club has been awarded a grant towards the cost of their new pavilion.

The EWCT’s grant aid programme aims to finance capital projects, including renovations to improve facilities which contribute to sustaining and increasing participation.  Grampound Road Cricket Club was identified by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Cornwall Cricket Board as a club of strategic importance in the general development of the game.

The club has been awarded a grant of £100,000 and a £50,000 interest free loan towards the cost of their new pavilion.  The total project cost is approximately £265,000.  The club also received generous support from Sport England (£50,000), Sita Cornwall Trust Ltd. (£30,000), Cornwall Council (£8,000) and small grants were received from the Bernie Coleman Trust (£1,500) and the Co-operative Members Fund (£1,000).  A grant of £500 was also received from Councillor Mike Eathorne-Gibbons from the Community Fund.

Grampound Road Cricket Club treasurer, David Dane, said: “We were delighted when we were awarded the grant because we urgently needed to up-grade our pavilion and changing facilities.”

“Although we are only a small village club we have made considerable progress in recent years and we field four senior league teams on a Saturday, there is a ladies’ team and we have over 100 junior cricketers – boys and girls – at the club.  We have achieved ECB Clubmark and Focus Club status and this enabled us to apply for the grant.  We service and maintain two playing areas to stage all the fixtures.”

“The new pavilion, built to ECB specifications has excellent changing and shower facilities together with a social lounge area and bar.”

“We are very pleased that the ECB has recognised the work we do at junior level and in the general development of the game.  We are extremely grateful to the England and Wales Trust for their most generous financial support and we express gratitude to Sport England and Sita Cornwall and to the other grant aiding bodies who have supported us.  We also greatly appreciate all the fundraising and voluntary work undertaken by our members and supporters.”

“We realise that we are very fortunate to be able to build such a high quality pavilion in the present difficult economic climate.  We could not afford such an expensive project from our own resources and we regard the grants as an investment in cricket at the club in the future and it will be for the long term benefit of the local village community.”

EWCT Trustee Brian Havill said, “The pavilion refurbishment and extension will obviously help the cricket development at Grampound Road Cricket Club and the new facilities will be welcomed by all the players and visitors to the club.  We are confident that the EWCT’s strategic approach to investing in high-quality, sustainable facilities will help cricket to attract and retain many new participants and create more opportunities to develop sporting talent.”

ECB National Funding and Facilities Manager, Bruce Cruse, said: “Grampound Road Cricket Club deserves support due to the strength of the junior development programme and their special efforts to develop women’s and girls’ cricket.  Investing in worthy projects such as this one allows cricket clubs to make their facilities as welcoming and accessible as possible to members, players and spectators.  Having high quality cricket facilities accessible to the community will be key to sustaining participation in grass roots cricket over the coming years.”