A duo of Flintshire-based sports clubs are amongst 14 social enterprises in the county to upgrade key infrastructure in a bid to improve their sustainability and inclusivity.
Mold Cricket Club and Aston Bowling Club have undertaken works to enhance their offerings thanks to the Flintshire Community Key Fund allocated by Cadwyn Clwyd and the Flintshire Local Voluntary Council (FLVC).
The cricket club is estimated to cut its CO2 emissions by 2.098 tonnes and save nearly £1,000 in electricity costs annually following the installation of an 11.7kW photovoltaic (PV) solar panel array and a 23.2kWh battery energy storage system (BESS).
In addition, the financial backing has allowed the cricket club to lay a 30-metre-long astro turf pitch, providing a suitable playing area to help grow both its 25-strong female team and its junior divisions, which include the Allstars group for youngsters aged five to eight.
All upgrades were facilitated by the grant, which received funding from the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to enhance public services and build a sense of pride and belonging in Flintshire neighbourhoods.
Mold Cricket Club chair John Williams said: “We’re very thankful for the support we’ve received to better our facilities, and I’m confident the new astro turf will play a key role in encouraging more women and young people to join our teams.
“The fund has also been vital in helping us boost our long-term sustainability, as it will reduce our annual electricity costs and allow us to utilise clean energy from a renewable source, which is fantastic.”
Similarly, Aston Bowling Club implemented the financial backing to install eight new floodlights on its green in the hopes of attracting and retaining more young participants.
With approximately 95 members and an ageing group of players, the additional infrastructure is expected to allow working athletes to participate in the evening games by illuminating the turf during low-light.
Aston Bowling Club committee member Tony Hughes said: “The lack of sufficient lighting was a real barrier for our younger members and an issue we’d been wanting to address for quite some time, so we’re grateful for the upgrades which we hope will secure the legacy of the club for the next generation.
“Feedback on the lights has been overwhelmingly positive so far, and the installation went smoothly from start to finish with the FLVC talking us through site suggestions, so we’re very pleased.”
Alongside the floodlights, local charity Veterans & Community Hub CIC was appointed to complete landscaping works, including hedge planting, to boost site appeal and biodiversity.
Cadwyn Clwyd community enterprise officer Helen Williams said: “We recognise how important it is to empower community groups and we’ve seen so many lives transformed through better provisions by allocating the UKSPF-backed grant.
“From charities and cooperatives to social enterprises and town councils, we’re proud that the Flintshire Community Key Fund has facilitated the transformation of a wide array of spaces across the county.”
Councillor Chris Dolphin, cabinet member for environment, regeneration, countryside, and tourism said: “The Flintshire Community Key Fund has evidently played an important role in ensuring both Mold Cricket Club and Aston Bowling Club can offer safe, modern facilities that will hopefully encourage more residents to participate in sports, get active, and build new friendships.”
