Brightlingsea Cricket Club is in a race to raise £6,000 over the next four weeks so that it can qualify for a £4,000 top-up grant from Sport England.
The club’s “Covid 19 Bounce back” crowdfunding appeal aims to raise cash for the renovation of the all-weather nets and cricket strip at the Bayard Recreation Ground, kick-starting its plans to develop youth cricket in the town.
A spokesperson for the club said: “After a year of lockdown, and all the restrictions we have had to endure, to get the young people of Brightlingsea back out into the fresh air, playing cricket, is something everyone at Brightlingsea Cricket Club cares passionately about. We are looking to renovate the outdoor all weather pitch, upgrade the cricket nets and provide much needed equipment for our Kwik Cricket project, allowing us to coach and enjoy cricket safely throughout the 2021 season.”
The club has set up a fundraising appeal on Crowdfunder and at the time of writing just over £3,000 had been donated. Local businesses have donated items for sale at reduced rates, and coaching, fun days, fitness instruction and personal training sessions and match ball sponsorships are available too.
So far, the club has had donations from local businesses, Spirals, Prentice Carpets, Sibbons Plant & Tool Hire, Colchester Tyre and Exhaust Centre, Footsure Western as well as donations of labour from local carpenter Roger Goodwin and electrical services from Pro-Lec. Digital local photograph downloads by Jacob Plummer, a young photographer, who plays for the club, are also available. In addition, the club has had generous gifts donated by GK Fencing , and AA Turner Tankers.
