Thetford Town Cricket Club has received £15,000 from Sport England towards its planned new cricket net facility, bringing Project 100 closer than ever to its fundraising target.
The award represents a major step forward for the campaign, which was launched to replace the club’s ageing nets and invest in the future of cricket in Thetford.
The proposed facility would provide improved training opportunities for the club’s junior players, support the continued growth of its women’s and girls’ section, help adult players develop their skills and create facilities that the wider community can be proud of for years to come.
Organisers said Sport England’s support was an important endorsement of the project, its ambitions and the difference the new facilities could make.
“This is huge news for our club and for Project 100,” said Project 100 Lead Kim Lockwood.
“From the very beginning, this campaign has been about far more than simply replacing some old cricket nets. It has been about investing in the future of cricket in Thetford – giving our juniors somewhere better to learn, supporting the continued growth of our Women & Girls section, developing our adult players and creating facilities that our community can be proud of for many years to come.
“To now have the backing of Sport England is an incredible endorsement of that vision. They can see what we are trying to achieve here in Thetford, the difference these facilities can make and the community that has grown around this project.”
With the grant secured, the club is now seeking one or two major sponsors to provide the final funding needed to bring the scheme to fruition.
A business supporting the project could secure naming rights connected with the new nets, creating a visible, long-term association with the facility.
The sponsor would also receive publicity surrounding the project, construction and eventual opening of the nets, alongside continued exposure through the cricket club, Project 100 and their social media channels.
Most importantly, organisers say, the supporting business would be able to say: “We helped make this happen.”
“If we can secure that final sponsorship, we are aiming to have the new nets being built by the end of November,” Kim added.
“After months of fundraising, applications, events, donations, meetings, emails, sponsorship and an extraordinary amount of community support, being able to say that feels quite incredible.”
Businesses interested in becoming a major Project 100 sponsor, or anyone able to introduce the organisers to an appropriate decision-maker, are encouraged to get in touch. The club believes one introduction could be all it takes to get the campaign over the line.
Project 100 will also continue fundraising throughout the winter, with plans being developed for a new Community Darts League.
The league will bring together community centres, sports clubs, village halls and other organisations for friendly competition, with Croxton Village Hall among those already signed up.
Teams of around six to eight players will represent their organisations, with matches hosted at participating community venues. As it will be a community-based competition rather than a pub league, under-18s will also be able to take part, allowing different generations to compete together.
Teams will contribute £20 per match. Part of the money will fund an end-of-season trophy, with the remainder shared proportionately between the participating venues.
The final format and fixture schedule will be agreed once organisers know how many teams are taking part.
“Cricket is at the heart of what we do, but community is at the heart of why we do it,” said Kim.
“Sport England backing us with £15,000 is another enormous step forward. Now we need that final push – one or two businesses, one final piece of the puzzle, and we can get these nets built.
“We are so close, Thetford. Let’s finish what we started.”
For sponsorship enquiries or information about joining the Community Darts League, email project100hub@gmail.com or contact the Project 100 Hub through Facebook. Those wishing to support the campaign can also visit project100hub.wixsite.com/project-100
