Chorleywood Cricket Club, Hertfordshire, has secured a £75,000 HS2 grant to build a new clubhouse and training facility
The HS2 grant will be used to replace the current temporary clubhouse originally built in the 1970s, with a two-storey building that will house a community café, a commercial kitchen, changing facilities and a viewing terrace.
Chorleywood Cricket Club received the grant through HS2’s Community & Environment Fund (CEF).
The new facility, situated in an Area of Natural Beauty (AONB), will be finished with a timber façade and a natural slate roof.
It will also be upgraded to bring the clubhouse up to Sport England and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) guidelines.
Organisations impacted by HS2 are encouraged to apply for funding
Cathy Elliott, independent chair of the HS2 Funds, said: “Chorleywood Cricket Club has been an established part of Hertfordshire for nearly 200 years.
“By upgrading their current facilities, the club can continue to serve the local community for many years to come.
“I’m pleased that HS2 can leave a positive legacy through supporting the continued growth of the club.
“I would encourage any organisation that can demonstrate that they have been impacted by the construction of HS2 to also apply for funding.”
The club has also partnered with Mission EmployAble, an organisation which works with young adults with learning disabilities to give them an opportunity to participate in work experience. It plans to use the new community café and kitchen to train around 20 young adults with moderate learning disabilities including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down’s Syndrome, and Cerebral Palsy.
Steve Dunning, chair of Chorleywood Cricket Club, said: “We would like to thank HS2’s Community and Environment Fund for their generous grant, which is being used to construct the new pavilion.
“HS2’s CEF contribution has helped ensure that the club will be able to provide cricket for generations to come and will enable our partners, Mission EmployAble, to provide training for young adults with learning disabilities.
“The combination of the cricket club and the café will allow the whole community to enjoy the pavilion all year round.”
