Carlton Nets Funding News

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2010 Practice Nets Fundraising News

Background

2009 saw the death knell sounded for the ageing Carlton practice nets. After providing practice facilities to players young and old for almost 25 years, the run-ups, surface, cage and netting had deteriorated to such an extent that they were no longer safe to use. With 170 young players under the age of 16, not to mention 4 senior sides, the need for a replacement was clear.

Over the last two or three years the club has wholly funded a new artificial wicket, a bowling machine, a practice cage and an equipment hut/junior changing facility. Despite our inevitably depleted reserves as a result of this expenditure, we turned our attention to a new challenge.

In late summer, a group of committee members and volunteers got together to draw up plans to create a modern replacement practice facility. Quotes were requested, plans drawn up and funding avenues explored.

By December, an action plan had been conceived, a preferred supplier identified and applications submitted to funding bodies. The total cost was in excess of £30,000 and the club's playing membership began the huge task of raising the money required to have the new nets in place in time for season 2010.

Although we received news that the lottery funded Awards for All body rejected our application for funding of £10,000, our efforts were redoubled, with our members undertaking a range of fund-raising activities. We then received much better news from another funding source.

Following the disappointment of the unsuccessful grant finding bid to the lottery funded Awards for All, there was much better news for the club when the Cricket Scotland Development Trust confirmed that they have awarded Carlton £5,000 towards the development of the new practice net facility. This has enabled the club to go ahead with work on the first phase of the project, with payment due at the end of May.

The club are very grateful to the CSDT trustees for the generous award, which has been pivotal in enabling us to proceed with Phase 1 work on this much needed facility.