Donaghcloney Mill Cricket Club, Co. Down

Since the amalgamation in 2017 of Donaghcloney CC and Millpark CC, the new Donaghcloney Mill Cricket Club has worked tirelessly to continue offering high quality and accessible sporting and leisure opportunities for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds in a largely rural area.  It has also successfully facilitated a multi-sports summer scheme for local youngsters three days a week during the summer holidays, promoting the benefits of physical activity, teamwork and communication skills.  With some 160 members, this amateur Club requires additional cricket balls, bats, gloves and helmets for their youth section ahead of the new cricket season – to bring them into line with regulations and meet requirements for competitive matches.  A Clothworkers’ grant of £600 was awarded.  Raymond Matthews e-mailed later in the year to confirm that “the equipment we got through your grant funding was put to good use this summer, we had our normal Summer Scheme and junior practice sessions, as a village club we were pleased that our numbers increased to 75 different children coming through our gates in 2021, having new bats, gloves helmets and training kit helped us deliver quality coaching”.  He added that “The purchase of this equipment was essential to help roll out our training programme when restrictions are lifted.  We have a large junior section and equipment regularly needs replacing/updating.  As a result of the pandemic, the Club has had little opportunities to fund raise for replacement equipment so the provision of £600 towards this expenditure is a life-line; many many thanks for the award, it is much appreciated”.