24th August 2012
| Mallory Gray
Bridgend Cricket Club has received £2,000 from Wales’ leading energy supplier, SWALEC as part of their Cricket Community Development fund for clubs to purchase new equipment kit or facilities.
The scheme, which is in association with Cricket Wales and Glamorgan Cricket, provides funds to support recreational cricket and grow the sport at a local level.
Bridgend Cricket Club has put the funds towards purchasing a cover, waterhog and storage container. Huw Davies, Club Treasurer, said, “The new equipment we’ve been able to buy with the funding from SWALEC is going to help us a great deal. This has been one of the wettest summers I’ve experienced throughout the time I’ve played cricket so to have a waterhog will mean we can keep the pitch drier and hopefully get some more games played over the rest of the season.
“We don’t have much storage space at the club so we’ve had to keep our equipment stored in a container. The old one was leaking but because they’re expensive we couldn’t afford to replace it until now.”
Bridgend Cricket Club has 100 registered players and plays four Saturday teams and five youth teams.
Huw continued: “We’re a growing club, particularly with our youth sides. We’re in the SWALEC Premier League meaning we’re in the top ten in south Wales so we need to stay where we are this season.”
Jonny Petrie, head of sponsorship at SWALEC, said: “We hope that the Community Development Fund will encourage more people to get involved with the game of cricket and we hope to strengthen it at grassroots level. We’re exceptionally pleased to offer the support to Bridgend Cricket Club.
“As official venue sponsors of the SWALEC Stadium and official partners to Glamorgan Cricket, the Community Development Fund is one way in which we are reaching out to people across Wales, who play, watch, or are involved with cricket to ensure it remains one of Wales’s favourite national sports.”
As well as receiving £2,000, the club was also given free tickets to a Glamorgan Cricket match.
Colin Metson, community and cricket development manager at Glamorgan Cricket, said: “We’re delighted to be working with SWALEC again on this community initiative. Community clubs have an important role to play in the overall development of the sport so it’s key that these clubs are supported and have the necessary equipment, kit and facilities to enjoy the game at its full potential.
“This initiative is great because by asking clubs to match fund their allocations, whole club and community will get behind the initiative for the benefit of its players.”
Peter Hybart from Cricket Wales said: “By providing funding to local clubs across Wales, SWALEC is taking an active role in promoting cricket and ensuring the future success of the sport.
“Grassroots cricket is at the centre of many communities in Wales and so these funds will provide a boost to ensure the sport keeps on growing and attracts new players to the game. We wish Bridgend Cricket Club all the best for this and forthcoming seasons.”
Since the initiative launched last year, SWALEC has funded 31 clubs for more equipment and facilities.
For further information on SWALEC’s sponsorship of Glamorgan Cricket and how to get involved visit www.SWALEC.co.uk/cricket