6 Apr 2016 | Cricket
Glamorgan County Cricket Club, local businesses and a number of well-known faces have joined forces with Vale Cricket Club in Corntown, to help the club prepare for the forthcoming season.
Vale CC is a progressive club which has set out an ambitious plan for its future in the form of its 2020 Vision, which aims to ensure the club's long-term success and a primary goal is to ensure that the club's facilities are up to scratch.
The event was part of the ECB NatWest Cricket Force project which helps cricket clubs in England and Wales get their facilities rejuvenated and prepared ahead of the new season.
Volunteers, including Jane Hutt AM, Alun Cairns MP and Glamorgan Chief Executive Hugh Morris, took on a range of jobs including landscaping and planting, gardening, clearing overgrown areas, fixing the scoreboard, assembling the batting cage, cleaning and painting the clubhouse.
Alun Cairns, MP for the Vale of Glamorgan, said: I was delighted to have the opportunity to support a superb partnership between Glamorgan County Cricket Club and Vale Cricket Club. This scheme is a fantastic example of bringing professional and amateur sport together in the local community through an ever popular sport.
I am a huge supporter of sport in local communities, particularly through a local club with a clear aim of increasing participation and awareness for youngsters from all communities. Many clubs across Wales have taken part in an initiative that puts an emphasis on improving facilities and helping clubs like Vale Cricket Club grow.
Jane Hutt said: The Vale Cricket Club event at Corntown was a great success attracting widespread support from the local community alongside Cricket Wales and Glamorgan stars who want to help make the Club a real asset to the community.
This will help inspire a new generation of cricket players and enthusiasts in the area and I was delighted to support the 2020 vision and congratulate all those who are working hard to make this a sustainable success.
Gareth Andrews, Deputy Chair, Vale CC, said: Vale Cricket Club were delighted to have the support of Glamorgan CCC, Cricket Wales and a number of local companies for their CricketForce weekend.
Vale CC has ambitious plans and have documented these in our 2020 Vision. Year one is focused on improving our clubhouse and playing facilities for members and the local community and so the projects being undertaken this weekend will help us to achieve this objective.
Hugh Morris said: Cricket is one of the most played sports in Wales so it is vital that community facilities are maintained. This is an important issue for all at Glamorgan so we were more than happy to get stuck in helping the club prepare for the season ahead. Cricketforce is one of ECB's most successful schemes and today's event has perfectly demonstrated how professional cricket and private organisations can join forces to support grassroots cricket.
Entering its 15th year, Cricketforce involves tens of thousands of players, members and volunteers coming together to help give back to clubs across England & Wales during the weekend.