The ECB Clubmark:

Press Release Dated: 03 June 2004

CLUMBER PARK FIRST IN NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

Clumber Park Cricket Club have become the first club in Nottinghamshire to earn the prestigious ECB “CLUBMARK” award having met a demanding criteria set down by the ECB and Sport England.

The Clubmark award is a pioneering club accreditation scheme run by The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Sport England which recognises the vital role Clubs have to play in the development of young players. Clubmark sets the entry level for an increasing number of cricket clubs providing good quality cricket programmes for young people. It also provides the core standards that all clubs involved will be supported to achieve.

In gaining the award the Club has demonstrated how it runs and manages its affairs effectively in a number of key areas including coach education and developing playing programmes, child welfare, in particular instigating the ECB Child Protection Policy “Safehands”. The award requires the Club to meet many other key criteria including open membership, links with schools and have a structured club action plan.

Gary Lambert from Nottinghamshire Cricket Board says, “We are delighted to see that Clumber Park Cricket Club have achieved Clubmark, it is a great achievement and reflects the ongoing hard work being undertaken by all members within the club. It is also a first for us in Nottinghamshire as Clumber Park is the first club in the county to be awarded accreditation. It shows the local community in Bassetlaw that Clumber Park is a child friendly and well equipped club for children to play cricket in a safe environment.”

David Leighton ECB National Manager (Clubs) added, “ Congratulations to Clumber Park on being one of a select number of clubs to achieve the Clubmark criteria. The process may be challenging but the principle of achieving a Clubmark standard in junior cricket development is most worthwhile.”

The Clubmark award for Clumber is a tremendous achievement and recognition for the handwork and dedication of club members and coaching staff over the last few years. The club fields junior teams at every level in the Bassetlaw Junior Cricket League. Clumber also enters two teams in the Bassetlaw Kwik Cricket League. New for this year is the Club’s “Acorn” section which aims to introduce boys and girls age 5 – 7 to the game. Another first for 2004 sees Clumber entering a fourth senior team in the Newark Alliance Sunday League offering the opportunity for more of the Club’s younger players to experience league cricket. With three more new coaches qualified over the winter season at Level I Clumber now has a total of 15 ECB qualified coaches including one Level III on hand to help youngsters of all ages develop their cricketing skills.

The Club has ambitious plans for the future and hopes to attract Sport England Lottery Funding to continue to build on recent achievements including the development of a new cricket ground in the Park “The Clumber Junior Ground”. As the playing base, especially the junior section continues to grow the Club aim to develop another pitch and extend the existing pavilion. Michael Beard Chairman of the Club stated “ We have the agreement of our landlord the National Trust and that of the tenant farmer at Clumber and are currently completing the costing of the project prior to applying for funding. It is hoped to have the facility open and running at the start of the 2006 season. This will allow us to increase the number of teams we enter and further increase opportunities for junior cricket a the Club.”

“A key element of the new accreditation is allowing local schools to have use of our facilities and provide them with coaching support. The new ground will enable us to increase participation and school links at primary and secondary level. The extension to the existing pavilion has been costed at £105,000 with the necessary planning permission in place. The cost includes provision for changing and shower facilities, supplying electricity and improving access.”

The club is searching for a main sponsor to help achieve its ambitious plans and maintain the impetus generated over the last four years. Practice facilities at Clumber are now the envy of many local clubs and plans exist to further develop these over the next two years. A comprehensive programme of winter coaching is provided at Worksop College, again there are plans to develop this further next year. Anyone who is interested in sponsoring the Club can contact Michael Beard on 01909 485895.

-Ends-

For more details please contact:

Michael Beard - Chairman C.P.C.C.
01909 485895
07855 420485
michaelbeard@btinternet.com

Michael Barton - Vice-Chairman C.P.C.C.
01909 500417
mick.barton@bassetlaw.gov.uk

Gary Lambert - Notts County Cricket Club
0115 9823000
gary.lambert@nottsccc.co.uk

Tony Wright - B.D.C. Sports Development Officer
01909 534338
tony.wright@bassetlaw.gov.uk