A Warwickshire cricket club has opened a refurbished pavilion after receiving a £74,000 grant from HS2's Community and Environment Fund (CEF).
Coleshill Cricket Club can trace its history back to 1854 and, as an established part of the local community, had nurtured sports groups ever since.
The main room in the pavilion has been extended and the bar has been moved. Kitchen facilities have been improved and a new bi-fold entrance has been installed. Fencing has been installed around an area at the front of the pavilion to ensure safer access to the building.
The club can now cater to larger community events and will still encourage young people, particularly girls, to get involved in the sport.
Applications for CEF funds to support urban, rural, community, environmental and business projects are still being welcomed. Funds for Phase One are independently administered by the charity Groundwork UK.
Cathy Elliott, Independent Chair of the HS2 Funds, said: “Coleshill Cricket Club provides a vital service to the local community by ensuring that quality sport facilities remain accessible to local people. By investing in facilities now, the club is showing their continued commitment to encouraging the next generation to take up Cricket, and I'm glad that we can provide funding to such a worthwhile cause.”
David Phillips, Treasurer and Project Manager of the Pavilion upgrade, added: “The grant from HS2, alongside other funding we managed to secure, has ensured some sustainability for the club, and will hopefully help us to establish ourselves as a community hub, focussing primarily on cricket, but also on all aspects of the Coleshill community.
“The changes made to the lounge and bar are mind-blowing, totally changing the dynamic of the main club room. This, with the addition of a long sought after new patio area and kitchen has made the pavilion welcoming and open to families and the general community, and a much more ambient place to sit and watch the cricket.
“All at Coleshill CC want this upgrade to be a positive step forward for both the club and community. We have already received many positive comments from the community and an increase in people using the facility. The turnout for our open event was just amazing and it was great to see so much of the local community supporting us and lots of children running around enjoying themselves!”
