Cricket team nets grant of almost £50k

Old Sharlston Cricket Club has scooped a £49,927 community grant which will pay for the planned new building’s internal fit out.

The Express reported in January how the 109-year-old club was struggling with a dilapidated pavilion.

The Pontefract and District Cricket League team embarked on £130,000 development project and applied for grants from several sources. Now they have received nearly £50,000 from Waste Recycling Environmental Ltd (WREN).

Club chairman Keith Hartshorne believes the project will breathe new life into the club and encourage a new influx of younger members.

He said: “Cricket has always been popular in the area, but the lack of decent changing and social facilities has put many young people off over the last few years. We’re extremely grateful to WREN for giving us these funds and looking forward to building the pavilion our club so richly deserves.”

He also said it was a fitting legacy for clubman the late Martin Gosnay.

Once complete the pavilion will be used by teams competing in local Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday leagues, as well Yorkshire Visually Impaired Team and Crofton Academy.

Penny Beaumont, WREN’s grant manager for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “We are delighted to be supporting this project and pleased that our funding will help sustain such a vibrant local sports club.”