South Nutfield Cricket Club
South Nutfield Cricket Club is a not-for-profit organisation, established in 1893 and open to male and female players of all ages and abilities. The club offers introductory programmes to cricket for children aged 5 to 11, it also runs five junior teams, four Saturday teams for adults and juniors, as well as a mid-week ladies' team. It has almost 150 juniors ranging from the age of 5 to 18 plus approximately 60 adult members.
The club strives to keep membership fees as low as possible to remain as accessible as possible to the surrounding community. There is a cosy bar onsite and the luscious grounds are open for dog walkers, so the field remains in use all year round. It also provides free use to the local primary school for events such as their year six leavers' party.
Rural England Prosperity Fund project
Growing popularity over the last six years means the cricket ground is under a huge amount of pressure from the volume of cricket being played on it. Increased footfall on the pitch also resulted in the club using artificial fertilisers to maintain the grounds. It was clear the club needed additional facilities to be able to continue offering the amount of junior cricket currently available to the local community.
The club working in partnership with Nutfield Parish Council, identified under-used playing fields, which had been left to the village for the purpose of sport. The cricket club was awarded a grant to fund the addition of an artificial cricket wicket to form a second cricket pitch on the playing fields.
An artificial cricket wicket placed between two football pitches requires little maintenance and means both sports clubs can use the space throughout the year without affecting each other.
Project impact
By shifting some of the matches to the second ground, there will be less pressure on the main cricket ground so the club can return to using more natural maintenance methods.
South Nutfield Cricket Club can now host the ever-growing number of members and will work with other local cricket clubs too, hiring out the additional pitch so they can all benefit.
Duncan Mallison, South Nutfield Cricket Club committee member said "Its been a huge project for us. Opening up a second ground has involved a huge amount of work and some very significant costs, not only the purchase of an artificial pitch but also additional equipment such as a small tractor to maintain the grounds and outfield. Without the support of the grant from the Rural Prosperity Fund we simply would not have been in a position to do it."
Project costs, grant awarded
Total project cost: £24,828
Grant awarded: £12,768
Are you eligible for a Rural England Prosperity Fund grant for your project?
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