Howzat - as village cricket club bowled over by pavilion funding boost

A village cricket club looking to develop its facilities in Stafford Borough has been boosted by a £10,000 grant

Forton Cricket Club has received the money from Stafford Borough Council to help redevelop its clubhouse. 

The club was formed more than 75 years ago and, with the council cash injection, is expected to complete the improvements in the spring. They say the money will help make a more family-friendly environment for the wider community to use. 

The not-for-profit community club is situated around 10 miles outside Stafford and has a good reputation for providing youth and adult cricket in the area, having been founded in 1948. 

“Forton Cricket Club are extremely grateful to Stafford Borough Council for their award of funding towards our clubhouse redevelopment project. This has allowed us to advance our long-term ambition to improve the accessibility of our facilities, which will bring immense benefit to our members, visitors and external users of the club,” said Ashley Gillum, secretary of the club. 

The money has come from the Rural England Prosperity Fund which is an extension of the Governments UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The borough council were one of four districts in the county to secure this additional funding. 

In total the borough council was awarded one of the largest pots of money in the country from the government’s ‘UKSPF’ after successfully putting forward schemes to help regeneration, climate change and culture. 

Councillor Jill Hood, Cabinet Member for Communities at the borough council, said: “These cricket clubs are such an integral part of village life. They are more than just a sports venue - they often provide facilities for other groups and organisations and are a great place for the community to come together. 

“And it is wonderful to hear that this grant will help to improve their building and make it more appealing for others to participate in events and activities that the club has to offer.” 

She added: “The borough council secured one of the largest sums from the UKSPF and this demonstrates the confidence the government has in the local authority to deliver for our community.” 

For more details of funding available to businesses go to https://www.staffordbc.gov.uk/grants-finance