Cricket Club Bowled Over By New Grant

Cricket Club Bowled Over By New Grant

©The Football Foundation

Cricketers in Oldham are set to receive a huge boost following the news that Glodwick Cricket Club (Glodwick CC) has secured a grant worth £25,000 from Barclays Spaces for Sports in order to install a modern drainage system at their Warren Lane ground.

The funding will increase participation at Glodwick CC by not only extending the length of the cricket season, but allowing matches at Under–13s and Under–15s levels to take place at the ground on top of the usual schedule.

The new funding into Glodwick CC follows an original Barclays Spaces for Sports grant in 2006 worth £50,000 as well as a development grant worth £20,000 in the same year.

Junior coordinator at Glodwick CC, Gordon Whitehead, said, “We are truly indebted to Barclays Spaces for Sports and particularly to the work of Football Foundation Activity and Sustainability Advisor, Jayne Gibson, who has mentored the club through the process of applying for the funds over the past six months. It will make a massive difference to the quality and quantity of cricket that the club is able to provide at all age groups.”

Debbie Abrahams MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, said: “Glodwick Cricket Club has a remarkable reputation bringing members from all across the borough together. I have had an opportunity to attend events at the club and I believe the work that is done by the members as well as the volunteers is truly inspirational.”

A Barclays spokesman said: “We are committed to the long-term sustainability of all our Barclays Spaces for Sports sites and the additional funding that Glodwick Cricket Club has received is an example of this. We’ve been working closely with the Football Foundation throughout the programme and by offering financial and non-financial assistance to sites, we aim to ensure all sites can continue to make a positive impact in the local community.”

The sustainability funding that Glodwick CC is receiving from Barclays Spaces for Sports is part of a UK-wide Sustainability Strategy launched in 2011. The Sustainability Strategy demonstrates Barclays’ commitment to ensuring all of the 200 community sports sites that it has built with partners the Football Foundation, have a long-term future and remain manageable for local volunteers and organisations to run.

The partnership, which recently won Sponsorship / Partnership of the Year at the 2012 Football Business awards, between Barclays and the Football Foundation sees one of the largest corporate banks in the world joining forces with the nation’s largest sports charity to help provide opportunities for communities to engage, learn and develop through sport.

Barclays Spaces for Sports uses sport to revitalise disadvantaged communities and tackle key social issues by helping young people develop a range of life and employment skills. It is part of Barclays community investment programme and wider Citizenship agenda.