Benfleet secure a QVC makeover for NatWest CricketForce

4 March 2005

Benfleet Cricket Club have gained support from QVC - the UK’s leading TV shopping channel - to sponsor a complete makeover of the upstairs of the cricket clubhouse as part of NatWest CricketForce 2005.

The event is taking place over the weekend April 15-17, and is involving many volunteers including members and friends of the club and skilled labour from QVC.

The volunteers will be filmed carrying out the renovation using tools and materials supplied by QVC, and this will be subsequently screened on the QVC channel.

All of the tools used will be available to buy from QVC. The makeover will include repair work, painting, new furniture, new blinds and new carpets, and will be partly funded by other local businesses, including B&Q and the Club itself.

The makeover and the filming will be completed with the unveiling of an Honours Board, which has been provided by donations, collected when two long-serving members of the Club recently celebrated their 50th birthdays.

The Club is very excited to have this sponsorship, and comes just after gaining the Clubmark accreditation, and signing a new 28-year lease for the Clubhouse with Castle Point Borough Council.

The Club is also taking the lead in an initiative to increase membership in all categories by working proactively with Castle Point Borough Council (Claire Lowes - Sports Development
Officer), the ECCB (Graham Jelley - CDO), the South Essex District Board (John Wade - Youth Development Officer), the Schools Partnership Development Officer (Hannah Moir based at Deans School) and a fellow nearby Focus Club (Hadleigh CC).