18th September 2012
| Mallory Gray
Narberth Cricket Club has received £2,700 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.
Narberth Cricket Club has put the funds towards purchasing a scorebox.
Brian Toms, Club Treasurer, said: “We are the only Division One team in Pembrokeshire that don’t have a proper scoreboard and now we will have one it should make a difference. As well as our league matches in Division One, Three and Five we host Junior festivals and other competitions throughout the cricket season and have always had to use a blackboard hinged to Narberth RFC’s wall and never had the funds to purchase a fully functional model.
“We found out about the development funding through Glamorgan Cricket/SWALEC circular email and then after researching it a bit more online I thought it would be worth us applying for. We were over the moon to find out we had been successful and now we will have a more professional scoreboard we expect this to make a difference to the players’ motivation and team pride when they play, both for the senior and junior sections."
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 Narberth 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 £2,700, 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."
Colin Metson, Peter Hybart, Brian Toms (Narberth CC) and Huw Lock (SWALEC)
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