Funding boost for Thame’s new cricket facility

THAME Town Cricket Club moved one step closer to realising a long-held dream of a new clubhouse this week when South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) approved a grant application towards the project of £250,000.

An artist’s impression of the new clubhouse and facilities for Thame Cricket Club

The application was scored highly for ‘Providing new facilities and activities’ and ‘Community benefit.’ The clubhouse will be suitable for multiple sports and community use for a range of activities and uses. It will have ground and first floor function rooms available for hire and equipped with kitchen, bar and office facilities.

The club now has 80% of the funds it requires and met with the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) on Friday, October 28, to discuss the plans. Chris Whitaker, who is the Facilities and Investment Manager with the ECB, said: “you have done an excellent job in working through your project to reach this stage and we would like to use Thame Town CC as a case study for other clubs to follow.”

The planning application was approved in May this year and the club has been busy ever since raising the funds required to deliver the project for which construction will commence in September 2017, ready for the start of the cricket season in April 2018.

Matt Swain, TTCC Vice Chairman, said: “We are delighted with the grant approval from SODC and would like to thank Thame Town Council for their support with the application. This grant means delivering the project is now wholly achievable. We will continue to execute our fund raising plan with both National and local organisations and individuals in order to secure the remaining funds required. We would welcome any further support for the project and have a number of schemes including ‘BUY A BRICK’ in which individuals or organisations can contribute to the fund raising effort.

“The new clubhouse will make a huge difference, not just to the members of the Cricket, Hockey and Netball clubs but the broader community of Thame, who will be able to enjoy the facility in the heart of town at one of the most idyllic settings that Oxfordshire has to offer. We are a charitable organisation run by volunteers who have the club’s best interest at heart in everything we do. We have worked really hard over the last few years to develop the club and make it something that more and more people can enjoy. The new clubhouse is part of our future aspirations to become one of the best clubs in Oxfordshire which will help provide sustainability for many years to come.”

The club, which currently has over 200 members, is based in the picturesque setting of Church Meadow in the heart of Thame, Oxfordshire, with the church of St Mary the Virgin as a backdrop. The club moved to Church Meadow in 1975 where the ground and clubhouse were created from existing low grade agricultural land and derelict farm buildings. The existing clubhouse has out-lived its useful lifespan and whilst it has ‘lots of character’ is not fit for purpose to cater for three adult Saturday league teams, 94 juniors in five age group teams, a hugely popular Women’s section and aspirations to develop a junior Girls team starting in 2017.

The new clubhouse has been designed by local architects Holland & Green and will meet ECB technical specification for new Pavilions and Clubhouses. It is designed in a way which is sympathetic to its beautiful surroundings next to the Grade I listed Church and Grade II listed Dovecote. Thame Hockey Club will share the building and use it during the Winter as their clubhouse, whilst still playing their matches at Thame Leisure Centre. Thame Netball club will also use the new facility.