Top cricketers help CCC refurbishment (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Top cricketers help CCC refurbishment

TWO Gloucestershire county cricketers were big hits when they stepped up to the crease to support the refurbishment of Cirencester Cricket Club's ground.

Gloucestershire County Cricket Club captain, John Lewis, was accompanied by team-mate and predecessor as skipper, Chris Taylor, when he visited Cirencester CC's headquarters.

They visited the ground, in Cirencester Park, to support NatWest CricketForce, an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)-initiative under which volunteers refurbish cricket facilities nationally.

It is the biggest annual volunteering event in sport, attracting more than 70,000 volunteers nationally.

CricketForce also develops clubs' links with schools, community organisations and businesses.

This year, nearly 1,000 cricket clubs took part nationally, almost doubling the involvement from 2005.

Last year, Cirencester CC focused on restoring its historic pavilion and making ground improvements.

This year, 75 people - compared to 60 in 2005 - rebuilt the ground's gentlemen's toilets, refurbished its practice facilities, restored its changing rooms, repainted its railings, replanted its garden, repaired its broken windows, repainted its showers, prepared the ground for the forthcoming season and performed numerous other tasks.

Aged between nine and 60-plus, they were mainly club supporters and local businesses supplied paint and other materials.

Project directors, Nikki and Brian Woodcock, were present the entire weekend after spending nearly 150 hours organising the event.

Cirencester CC's chairman, Brian Hudson, thanked Mr and Mrs Woodcock and estimated the volunteers and businesses saved the club £3,000-to-£5,000.

He said: "This is a terrific initiative by the ECB. Because they create this badge, 'CricketForce', you can mobilise people and you can create a hype around it that motivates people to come and help.

"'A huge thank you" are the only words I can use. An initiative like this also helps to build support for the club - everybody enjoys it and feels fired up for the new season.

"So many of the younger members of the club gave up two days. It's the ones aged 14-to-21 that really got stuck into it and worked like demons.

"If the season is half as successful as last weekend then we're in for a marvellous year."