Widnes Cricket Club

SEVEN months hard work has finally paid dividends for Widnes CC.

Members of the Murray Smith ECB Cheshire County League and Pacific Brands Merseyside Youth League this week learned they have been awarded a community club development fund (CCDF) grant of £37,700 from the treasury in partnership with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, Sport England and the ECB.

The award is to provide the bulk of the capital required for a practise facility project in excess of £40,000 at the Beaconsfield Road ground.

The grant is part of the Government's three year, £60million award initiative in addressing the needs of the backbone of English sport based in the local community via the local community club.

The award is not a lottery grant but comes direct from Government funding and is aimed at club sport, which is recognised as being the heart of the game.

The awards panel was particularly impressed with the way the club was run and the way it encompasses a true community spirit via contacts with schools, parents, the local authority, county boards and local voluntary and senior citizen organisations.

"It is a much-needed cricket facility, which will benefit the club, and our community cricketing partners," says the club's CCDF contact Peter Hewitt.

"Our practise facilities, particularly when you're trying to encourage youngsters and parents, were looking very tired and worn and quite frankly did not meet ECB and child welfare standards, which to a club of our stature almost in its 140th year was not acceptable.

"We had made important progress on the administration required in meeting the regulations regarding child welfare legislation and to be accepted to apply for the award itself was a major coup for the club in September 2003 and then to be actually awarded the grant is a dream come true."

He added: "I would like to say on behalf of everyone at the club, our sincere thanks to all the various organisations and individuals who gave us support and advice with the project."

The club hopes to hear by the end of May from the ECB case manager Fiona Prescott when the work will start which has timescale of 12 months for completion.

This weekend Widnes have a pre-season friendly at home to Grappenhall.

The premier league season gets underway a week on Saturday away at Macclesfield.

Unfortunately Andrew Woods has had to stand down as captain due to a persistent elbow injury, which has failed to heal after surgery.

Australian Adam Landry will captain the side in his place.