SSE SWALEC has once again committed to invest £10,000 into grassroots cricket clubs in Wales for the 2013 season.
The SWALEC Community Development Fund, in association with Glamorgan Cricket and Cricket Wales, is awarding funding for a third season in a bid to help support and strengthen community cricket.
Last year SWALEC awarded £10,000 to 12 clubs across Wales. The clubs that received funding were Bridgend Cricket Club, Whitchurch Heath, Llantwit Major, Pontblyddyn, Bethesda, Welshpool, Sudbrook, Briton Ferry Steel, Narberth, Llandysul, Carmel & District and Llanwrda.
Bridgend Cricket Club put their fund towards purchasing a cover, waterhog and storage container. Huw Davies, club treasurer, said:
The new equipment helped us a great deal. Having a waterhog means we can keep the pitch drier and get some more games played. Also we don't have much storage space at the club and our old storage container was leaking but we couldn't afford to replace it until we got help from SWALEC.
Meanwhile Sudbrook Cricket Club in Caldicot used their fund towards purchasing a new facia for the club's scorebox. Brian Gibbins, club secretary, said:
We'd had our scorebox for ten years and it was in need of repair. Getting money from SWALEC to replace the facia was great - we've been able to reposition the box and it's now visible to everyone in the crowd.
SWALEC is dedicated to making cricket better in Wales from the grassroots up. The fund is at the heart of SWALEC's support for Welsh cricket, helping clubs across Wales to grow the sport in their area.
Welsh cricket legend and Glamorgan CCC Ambassador Robert Croft said:
Financial investment into cricket clubs is invaluable and will ultimately help the standard of the game in Wales. Whether the project is large or small, I would encourage clubs to get their applications in for the chance to make required improvements to your club this season.
Welsh cricket clubs are the strength of the game in Wales and provide the pipeline for future Glamorgan players. This fantastic funding programme will continue to assist many clubs to better themselves, creating opportunities to unearth those up and coming future stars of Welsh cricket.
The fund is open to any Welsh cricket club that is affiliated to Cricket Wales and the ECB. Each application must demonstrate how the funding will be used and the positive effect the investment will have on the club, its teams and the wider community.
An entry form for submission of fund applications is available here (PDF).
The deadline for applications is 17 May 2013.
glamorgancricket.com/swalecfund