Archaeological dig complete at Common Farm Energy Park
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A thriving South Yorkshire community cricket club has hit its fundraising target for essential ground improvements for six.
Whiston Parish Church Cricket Club has erected a new boundary fence at its Churchfields ground to replace a 50-year-old predecessor that had fallen into disrepair.
The original fence consisted of concrete posts and metal bars with meshing in places, but with several posts crumbling and exposing the metal inside, as well as holes appearing in the meshing due to vandalism, it had become increasingly unsafe for any players running towards or diving close to it, as well as unsightly for anyone visiting the club or walking through the area.
The club set up a fundraising campaign two years ago to bring in the money required to buy and erect a completely new boundary fence around the playing area, with a £4,938 grant from the community benefits fund linked to OnPath Energy’s nearby Penny Hill Wind Farm taking the club past its £24,000 target and enabling it to complete work on the new fence.
Local firm Pike Joinery was awarded the installation contract, with a team of club volunteers helping to get the job done.
Established in 1904, Whiston Parish Church Cricket Club runs three senior weekend teams, with its first XI competing in the championship division of the Yorkshire Southern Premier League.
Its junior section currently has more than 60 players representing the club in five different age group teams, while the Whiston PC Belles women and girls team, which offers both hard and soft ball cricket, has seen a strong surge in numbers over the last couple of years as the profile of the women’s game has grown.
In addition to this, the club also offers regular Cricket All Stars sessions, as part of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s national drive to introduce more children aged between five and eight to the game, and is in the process of becoming Rotherham’s first Disability Champion Club as part of an ECB initiative designed to help clubs create time and space for members of their community with different needs to enjoy the game of cricket.
It would have been at least another year before we had enough money to pay of the new fence without the grant we’ve had from Penny Hill Wind Farm Fund
Paul Howell, treasurer at Whiston Parish Church Cricket Club, says: “Our ground is located in a picturesque and popular part of the village, and as well as having an impact on the players using the playing field, the old fence was becoming a real eyesore and spoiling the views for anyone passing through the area.
“Alongside this, the club has grown in terms of our playing membership, with our junior and ladies sections now being among the largest in the area, and this means we need additional wicket space on the square to accommodate all the training and match activities during the season.
“We could only do this by extending the square and boundary on the paddock side of the pitch, and leaving the boundary in its existing place would have created a dangerous environment for the public and spectators.
“The new fence has really smartened up the ground, as well as improving the playing facilities we can offer.
“While we’ve been working hard to raise as much money as we could for this project, it would have been at least another year before we had enough money to pay for the new fence without the grant we’ve had from the Penny Hill Wind Farm Fund, so we’re hugely grateful for OnPath Energy’s invaluable support.”
The Penny Hill Wind Farm Community Fund is ring-fenced to support community and environmental projects within the parishes of Aston, Thurcroft, Treeton, Ulley and Whiston, with other local organisations that have previously received funding from it including Ulley Sailing Club, Whiston Parish Council, the Friends of Ulley Country Park, Thurcroft Welfare Community Hall and the Ulley Millennium Trust.
Last year, an application by OnPath Energy (formerly Banks Renewables) to extend the lifespan of the wind farm by 15 years, to 40 years’ duration, was approved by Rotherham Council.
Robin Winstanley, director of sustainability and community at OnPath Energy, adds: “Sports clubs like Whiston Parish Church Cricket Club play an essential role within the fabric of their communities and we’re really pleased to have been able to help their fundraising campaign over the finishing line.
“The Penny Hill Wind Farm Fund was designed to make a positive, long-term difference to local voluntary groups, environmental projects and community facilities in the areas around the wind farm, and this is another great example of how it is continuing to do just that.”
Environmental and community projects in the vicinity of the Penny Hill Wind Farm which are interested in applying to itsCommunity Fund should first contact the fund manager on 0191 378 6342 or via apply@onpathcommunityfund.co.uk to confirm that their group or project is eligible.
