21st March 2014
| Mallory Gray
SWALEC has launched its annual Cricket Development Fund which
invites clubs across Wales to apply for a share of £10,000. The monies can be put towards new equipment
and facilities at their clubs for the 2014 cricket season.
In association with Cricket Wales and Glamorgan Cricket, the
£10,000 SWALEC Community Development Fund, which was first introduced in 2011,
provides matched funding for grassroots cricket clubs and funds to support
recreational cricket to help grow one of Wales’
favourite national sports at a local level.
Since the launch of the initiative SWALEC has
helped 43 clubs invest in everything from waterhogs and cover sheets to sight
screens and score boxes.
The fund is open to any Welsh cricket club
that is affiliated to Cricket Wales and the ECB and can be used either to
purchase equipment or materials that support the playing of cricket or which
will help reduce their operating costs.
This year, there will be a particular focus on club maintenance and
groundkeeping equipment.
One of the clubs that benefited from the fun
last season was St Fagans. David Harris, chairman of the club
said: “Adequate funding is vital for the survival of local cricket clubs like
us and we’re delighted that SWALEC is playing an active role in promoting and
preserving community cricket in Wales.”
Richard
Arthur, club treasurer at Cresselly Cricket Club, another club that was successful
in its application to the fund last season, added: “Thanks to SWALEC, we were
able to invest in resurfacing our twin lane practice area to restore it to
pitch-perfect condition.”
Jonny Petrie, Head of Sponsorship
Strategy at SWALEC, said: “When we launched the Community Development Fund
originally, we made a long term commitment to support Welsh cricket at a
grassroots level and encourage more people to get involved in this great sport.
We’re delighted that the clubs have put their funds to such good use in the
past and hope to see many more benefiting from it this year”.
Peter Hybart, Chief Executive Officer
at Cricket Wales said: “Grassroots cricket is at the centre of many communities in
Wales. This funding from in partnership with Glamorgan Cricket and SWALEC will
support local cricket clubs to grow and retain membership and enhance the
quality of cricket experience.”
All cricket clubs in Wales can apply for the
fund by downloading an entry form at
www.glamorgancricket.com/swalecfund.
Completed forms should be submitted to
[email protected] or Peter
Hybart, Cricket Wales, C/O Glamorgan Cricket Club, SWALEC Stadium, Cardiff,
CF11 9XR.
The deadline for applications is 18th
April 2014. All applications will be assessed by a judging panel who will then
notify the club if successful.
For further information on SWALEC’s sponsorship of Glamorgan
Cricket and how to get involved visit
www.SWALEC.co.uk/cricket
For further information please
contact:
GLAMORGAN CCC MEDIA MANAGER: Martyn Bicknell, Communications
Manager, 02920 419 326 or
[email protected]
SSE/SWALEC Media Team: 0845 0760 530
or
[email protected]