Celebration at Walsall Cricket Club marks facelift costing tens of thousands of pounds
Food and live music were all part of the score at a celebration to mark a facelift costing tens of thousands of pounds at the Walsall Cricket Club ground.
New practise lanes and nets were officially unveiled at a party attended by West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker who performed the ribbon-cutting ceremony and showed off his batting and bowling skills to the delight of the junior team players in attendance.
Club members last year pitched in to raise over £30,000 towards revamping the Gorway Road ground next to the Wolverhampton University campus in Highgate.
Fundraising efforts included players filming a special appeal video, music nights and the teams taking part in the sponsored Run Through Cannock Chase Running Festival. A successful bid for Sports England Movement Fund match-funding their effort to the tune of £15,000 also helped the cause.
The money is being spent on new practise lanes and nets, industrial lawn mowers, improvements to the ladies changing rooms, more storage, and replacing the old benches and picnic tables and the improvements are expected to cost around £60,000 when all the work is completed.
The event on September 19 featured speeches, performances by saxophone band Sax Cats and guests, along with food.
In his speech Mr Parker praised the club members or the impressive fundraising effort.
"This isn't just cricket club. I've spoken to a lot of people tonight and it's a community asset which brings people together and also giving them a sense of fun and participation and being a friend is fantastic.
"Too many young people across the region don't have access to facilities like this. I know the difference it can make," Mr Parker said.
" Think you are an exemplar for what we would like other people to be doing across the region. I know lots of volunteering goes on here. You should be very proud," he added.
The club has teams for juniors, males and females and its senior first, second, and third XIs currently play in the South Staffordshire County League.
The events and fundraising sub-committee chairperson Savina Badhan said: " Thanks to the backing of Sport England’s Movement Fund and the extraordinary generosity of our local community we have successfully refurbished the training nets, upgraded grounds facilities and significantly boosted grassroots cricket participation across all ages and backgrounds.
"Our girls’ section has tripled in size, the women’s cricket has doubled with both hardball and softball teams now active. A new fourth senior team made up of dads inspired by their children’s involvement, is forming.
"Club morale, visibility, and community connections have never been stronger."
