Village cricket club bowled over by £1,000 grant

An Ashford village cricket team has secured a donation of £1,000 from housebuilder Persimmon Homes.

The grant to Rolvenden Cricket Club was made through Persimmon’s Community Champions scheme that each month makes two awards of up to £1,000 to a local charity or good cause.

Club captain Steve Stickels, who applied for the funding, said: “We are a small village club that plays in Division 3 of the Kent village league.

“During the 2020/21 season, we managed to secure sponsors and grants that enabled us to fix out roof and order a new score board, which in turn led us to grow from one team three.

“We are currently trying to raise money to renew our kitchen, add a disabled toilet and renew the men’s toilet, and would like to repair some outstanding defects in the club house.

“We believe that all of these improvements will help us recruit new players and put us in a position to start up a youth team – we currently attract players from Tunbridge Wells, Rye, canterbury and Whitstable. We are able to attract these far afield players because we are a welcoming, friendly club that offer cricket to any player of any standard, age or sex.

“Thank you to Persimmon Homes for this Community Champions donation, it will make a real difference to the improvements we are making here at the club.”

Persimmon Homes builds new communities across the whole of Kent, including its Bridgefield development in Ashford. For more details, or to apply for funding, visit www.persimmonhomes.com