Bradfield Cricket Club opens new clubhouse with ‘Big Society’ help

Date published: 21st August 2018

Bradfield Cricket Club had a special guest last Saturday (August 18 2018) before their league match against Horsford; North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) Leader, Councillor John Lee, was on hand to present the Club with a plaque celebrating the Council’s £15,000 grant from its Big Society Fund.

This was the first serious fixture at the ground since Bradfield opened their refurbished clubhouse on August 4; part of a £120,000 project to secure cricket at one of the best grounds in Norfolk.

The new clubhouse, on the edge of the pitch which Bradfield have played on since 1845 now boasts new changing facilities, toilets, kitchen, bar and social area, which together will provide better facilities, especially for children’s cricket at the Club.

North Norfolk District Council has run the Big Society Fund for six years now and it has benefitted many community groups across the District, with over £1.6m being handed out to 219 community projects in that time.

Cllr Lee, who chairs the Big Society Fund Board, said, “Providing these grants is one of the best jobs I have as Leader of the Council. So many groups have benefitted from the Big Society Fund and our grant to Bradfield has enabled them to not only lever in the rest of the funding they needed, but also to get all of their own membership behind the project. Their new facility can only help the club thrive, especially with the facilities for children’s cricket so near to North Walsham.”

Peter Murphy, Bradfield’s Chairman added, “The new clubhouse here is just brilliant. It’s taken many years to get us here, but the grant from NNDC was the thing that really made people believe it was really possible.

People here have worked tirelessly since to get the other funding in and then to do the work required, and the result is now here for all to see. And we have had good support from NNDC all the way, with them helping us with our cricket development plan as well.

“We are seeing many more children coming into the Club – and run cricket for all ages - mainly from our events in school holidays and our coaching in local schools, and we aim to have all eleven primary schools in our local area coaching cricket within the next five years.”