B&Q continue to receive applications for their ‘Better Neighbourhood Grant Scheme’.

One club to have benefitted are Benfleet CC in Essex, who have been granted approx £460 from B&Q's scheme.

Benfleet have reported to the CricketForce team how they have sourced all materials needed for their NatWest CricketForce Project 2006.

Their story for this year begins last year when they contacted B&Q who very kindly donated paint, varnish, and some plants. At that time they were very fortunate to have their makeover sponsored by QVC (the UK’s leading shopping channel), and did not need to look any further for donations.

They were so pleased with their achievements that this year they decided to take on a bigger project for the NatWest CricketForce weekend. The project includes internally repairing and decorating six changing rooms, an umpire’s room, a storage room, a kitchen, a tearoom, showers, toilets, and a connecting hall. In addition substantial work will be done outside mainly repairing walls that have been seriously vandalised.

The Local Authority owns the building itself, and a hurdle has been overcome that of gaining permission for the Works.

A very keen volunteer in the Club – Pat Tremain - has taken up the challenge of contacting local businesses to secure the materials for the makeover. Pat contacted the local B&Q, Wickes, and Focus, and found the managers to be most helpful.

They asked her to write in a short letter stating the materials that wee required. Pat also called Homebase, and they allowed her to go along, and take away all the discontinued lines of paint – a most welcome and helpful stock.

Very recently B&Q notified Pat that Benfleet CC have been granted approx £460 from B&Qs Community Project Scheme. Pat will be allowed to go shopping with the manager of B&Q to select items from our shopping list. All coat hooks, paint brushes, rollers etc will now be supplied thanks to B&Q.

Pat contacted Community Re>Paint, and they were also most helpful. She says: “It really is quiet simple, again you phone them with a shopping list. They will also help to provide paints if they have sufficient stock. We have been asked to make a donation of 50p for every litre of paint that they provide.

"We now have enough materials to proceed with our makeover day... I wonder what project we shall be aiming for next year!"

The morale of this story: Don’t be shy pick up the phone and chat to these people... you will be surprised what you can get.

Other volunteers within the Club are sourcing the voluntary labour force with the First XI captain targeting all the cricket members; the youth manager targeting the parents and the youngsters, and the vice chairman targeting the council, and through the council other voluntary groups including approaching local scout troops and the Duke of Edinburgh scheme.

In addition the local schools about to receive a significant injection of cricket coaching through the Chance to shine initiative, have all been asked to provide at least one person to help – preferably someone with excellent DIY skills!

Over the weekend of April 8/9 the Club already know that a Prominent Local Councillor will come to the Club, and they are hoping that the Mayor will also come along – and may even help by using a paint brush. The Local Paper has already been told about the event, and indeed published a piece. They will be told again so that they can publish and photograph the event for the whole community.

In order to save time and in order to direct your application to the correct person, we suggest that you read further information about this grant by visiting www.diy.com

We recommend that you do this before you make contact with your local B&Q store.

Any clubs that are successful, please let us know at cricketforce@ecb.co.uk