NatWest CricketForce 2006 - Thinking outside the boundary- Barrow CC
Ray Mowat, from Barrow Cricket Club in Cumbria, writes:
The success of the NatWest CricketForce weekend in 2005 has been a catalyst for two major ongoing projects at the club.
One idea from the CricketForce weekend was to replace the plastic bucket seats in front of the pavilion with traditional wooden benches. (The originals came from a Barrow to Fleetwood steamer.)
We took a copy of the metal frame and a local steel fabricator, who already sponsors the club, has manufactured 90 frames which will provide seating for the whole pavilion.
They do not want any publicity and we do not know the exact cost but it will be around £2000- £3000, which is a great gesture.
The second project was to create a three-lane artificial net area with a fixed cage net. Our major sponsor, Schofield Construction, have agreed to take on the project and have already completed the groundwork and laid the concrete base.
The fixed frame net is to be fixed around March/April. Again they are standing the full cost of the project! As part of NatWest CricketForce 2006 we will be fixing the netting to the frame.
2005/6 has been an eventful year for the club as it is our 150th year! We launched the year with a Sportsman’s dinner with Ronnie Irani (left) as our guest speaker, which was a great night.
We also joined forces with another local club, Lindal Moor, and held an evening with David Lloyd, this again was a great success with both events raising valuable funds.
Unfortunately we have had some unexpected major expenditure having to re-roof the club and also replace the heavy motorised roller. However, through the tireless efforts of the bar stewardess, committee and members we have covered the cost of the projects: approximately £20,000.
Plans are underway for NatWest CricketForce 2006 with projects to improve and repair the decor of the bar and dance hall being a priority now that the roof is fixed.
If you have examples of 'thinking outside the boundary' best practice you'd like to tell us about, please email us at cricketforce@ecb.co.uk
