Club in Focus Guilsfield and Llandrinio CC

11th June 2020 | Mallory Gray

Guilsfield Cricket Club in Montgomeryshire, Powys, just north of Welshpool has like all clubs been unable to play and unable to raise funds. The club’s income comes through match sponsorship and player subs. Normally there is enough raised each summer to see them through the winter until they can start the cycle of playing and fundraising again. But obviously this year they, like all clubs, have been hit.

Said Dave Lewis (Team Captain) “With no cricket, our running costs are lower, however with the council not cutting the playing fields we had to take on this duty otherwise we would have been left with a meadow to sort out. So, we have done square maintenance as well as outfield cutting once a week, which comes at a cost with our machinery also requiring servicing work.

“In a nutshell, we would have run out of money this month. Not ideal with annual insurance and pitch rental (which we have to pay annually also) due in June. We sold some assets to raise money and several sponsors agreed to still pay their ball sponsorship fees but we would have been left with asking players for support, not ideal with everyone watching their pennies at the moment.”

So, the club applied to the Sport Wales' Emergency Fund

“The emergency fund has been a life saver. Even with no cricket, it will see us through to the end of this summer and most of the winter. It means we can continue looking after the venue so that next season (hopefully) we are ready to go again from weekend one!”  

If any other clubs in Wales would like further information on the funding available then please contact your Cricket Wales Area Manager.