Dear Member
What a horrible end to the year! We were working on plans for our 2020/1 winter programme when rises in Covid-19 infections have led to further restrictions. At the time of writing the prospects for winter cricket/training are not encouraging. However we can hopefully look forward to some form of cricket next summer. As last summer showed, as a club we can all pull together. Let’s stay as optimistic as we can in these very hard times.
Fortunately the club is in a sufficiently strong position, not only to weather the worst case scenario of the club operating under severe restrictions throughout the winter, but also to continue to invest in our facilities to secure our long term future. So, with the likelihood of the club being shut or only being open in a limited way over the winter, we have decided to do a major refurbishment of the bar. This should be completed by the end of January. We are also pushing ahead with Stage 2 of Project Heron, the redevelopment of the changing rooms and an extension to the pavilion. We have commissioned architectural drawings and an Arboricultural Impact Assessment Report and in the New Year, we will applying for Planning Permission. If this is granted, we can start applying for grants, which we will need to help towards the cost of the project. The plan is also to organise a Zoom Meeting in the New Year with members to discuss the plans.
We are fortunate to have two lovely grounds, which increasingly we are sharing with our local community. Increased community awareness is a potential beneficial legacy from these difficult times.
The community spirit at the club has been tremendous all year and I would like to thank members for all the support you have given each other. Sadly most families have been or know someone who has been affected by Covid-19. Our thoughts are with them.
Have as good a Christmas and New Year as you possibly can and let us all hope for a better 2021.
Regards, Martin Pluck, Chairman