NatWest CricketForce

/in /by

NatWest CricketForce is a nationwide initiative aimed at cricket clubs. The programme is designed to bring clubs and local communities closer together, and ensure grounds and facilities are ready for the new season.

CricketForce is held over one designated weekend each year as clubs work to prepare for the upcoming season. Projects range from simple paint jobs, sight screen scrubbing and renewed boundary fencing, to brand new changing rooms, function rooms and even a new pavilion.

NatWest CricketForce 2017 will take place on 1 and 2 April – register your club here to get involved.

By registering your club early, you will receive our monthly newsletters filled with helpful tips and tools to plan for a great event, and you will also be among the first to hear about the 2017 Jewson Privilege Account Scheme.

CricketForce offers the perfect opportunity to engage members of your club who don’t usually get involved and also to attract new members. In addition, reaching out to your local community by approaching new people and businesses for support will help to build a sustainable future for your club.

NatWest CricketForce event resources and advice

Here are a number of useful resources and advice to make your NatWest CricketForce event a success:

Step-by-step planner (PDF) – guides you through all of the stages needed to plan and facilitate a great NatWest CricketForce event
Volunteer sign-up sheet (PDF) – use this to collect your volunteers’ contact information to keep them up to date on your club’s CricketForce activity and thank them afterwards for their contributions
Thank you letter template (MS Word) – use to thank and celebrate the efforts of all of your event volunteers
In addition, all NatWest CricketForce-registered clubs have access to an exclusive online toolkit to help promote your event. You can create personalised posters, flyers and digital banners. For more details please email natwestcricketforce@ecb.co.uk.

Health and safety considerations

All clubs taking part in NatWest CricketForce are advised to check their insurance policy for the following:

All clubs must have Employer’s Liability insurance. As well as covering employees, Employer’s Liability insurance is also required for voluntary helpers
Ensure the Public Liability and Employer’s Liability sections extend to cover the projects/maintenance work being carried out and that there are no conditions/warranties which apply
Under the ECB ExtraCover insurance scheme, as long as clubs have Public Liability insurance, Employer’s Liability insurance is automatically included and cover extends to maintenance/alteration work on club premises and playing areas.

To read the original and download attachments, click here

Mindless ‘Idiots’ Blasted As Football Pitches Wrecked

/in /by

A football manager has condemned the “idiots” who mindlessly created deep tyre tracks marks and left three pitches unplayable.

Young footballers have been prevented from playing crucial matches for their team after large sections of turf were found ripped up on pitches in Frome Road Park, near East Mount Recreational Centre, east Hull.

The tyre tracks first appeared in late February and Neil Coxon, 36, manager of Hull United’s under 13’s side, joined other club members to help repair the damaged pitches so vital matches could be played.

But he was left heartbroken early last week when he realised the pitches, which are also used by Longhill Ravens FC, had been vandalised once again.

The father-of-two, who lives in Portobello Street, east Hull, said: “I think it’s some idiot in a 4×4. The police can’t really do anything about it unless they catch them and it tends to happen in the middle of the night. No one sees anything during the day.

“The result of five minutes of so-called ‘fun’ has stopped 60 or so kids from playing football which is just ridiculous.

“I’ve been coaching for seven years from when my lad first started and it’s good for them. It gets them active and things like these keep them off the streets but if they can’t play it will turn them back on to the streets.”

Mr Coxon’s son Nathan plays for the under-13s team and the successful side are top of their league. However, their remaining home matches are at a serious risk of being postponed because it’s too dangerous to play on three of the 11 pitches.

Mr Coxon added: “From my lad’s point of view he had been playing since he was five and he’s now playing for the under 13’s. They are top of the league but their game is off because they can’t play on the pitch. He is gutted.

“We initially tried to smooth it over with a shovel and then put a layer of sand on it to try and make it playable. I am no groundsman – I’m a contract manager by trade but I’m trying to make it playable for these kids.Admittedly it’s no Wembley but we want to make it the best we can for them.

“In the summer there will be kids training on there most of the week. At the moment it’s unsafe for them. They could break their necks so from a safety point of view we just can’t let them train on there.”

Tony McCrainor, 46, is club treasurer for Hull United and his son, Bailey, also plays for the under-13s side. He believes quad bikes the size of cars are causing the damage.

Mr McCrainor said: “The kids look forward to their game on a weekend. It’s the be all and end all for a lot of them. They love training and when it comes to matchday on a Sunday it’s always disappointing if we have to call the game off.

“We’ve had trouble before with motorbikes and little mini kids bikes but you cant get round that. But these car-sized quad bikes have absolutely turfed the pitches up and they could twist their ankle playing on it.”

Hull City Countil’s culture and leisure department is aware of the vandalism and has taken steps to prevent further damage being caused.

A spokesperson said: “We have already taken steps to stop the damage caused to the fields by increasing security measures, including locking the main field gates each night.

“We are working with police to identify those who have caused criminal damage, and we would encourage anyone witnessing criminal activity to report it to the police.”

A Humberside police spokeswoman said: “The incidents happened during the hours of darkness over four nights from March 5 to March 8. This has caused substantial damage to the pitches and has now rendered them unusable until significant repair work can be carried out.

“The ground is used widely by the community and the effect it has had, and will have, is great. If anyone knows who has caused this damage please call us on the non-emergency number 101 quoting reference 2255082.”

To read the original article, click here

Muirfield Set To Ditch Men-Only Member Policy

/in /by

The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers is expected to announce that it has at last voted to ditch their policy of allowing only males to become members at Muirfield.

The R&A is primed to issue an announcement that the famous East Lothian links will be immediately welcomed back on to the Open roster. Last May, the first postal ballot came up to two per cent short, causing the R&A, the ruling body which oversees the game’s oldest major, to tell the privately-owned links that it would no longer be considered as a host venue of the Open.

“The Open is one of the world’s great sporting events and going forward we will not stage the Championship at a venue that does not admit women as members,” a statement at the time said.

With politicians, golfers, media and, more pertinently, the public heaping their derision on Muirfield, the embarrassment was so great that another vote was quickly planned. Sources were adamant that this time around, the numbers would be hugely in support of change and it appears their confidence was well-founded, with one insider reporting the majority to be “more than 90 percent”.

Martin Slumbers, the R&A chief executive, has outlined what is at stake saying: “If the policy at the club should change we would reconsider Muirfield as a venue for the Open in future.”

Muirfield has staged the Open 16 times, producing a who’s who of champions, including Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo (twice), Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson, who lifted the Claret Jug there in 2013.

Since the Royal & Ancient – the St Andrews club closely linked to the R&A – voted to allow women to become members in 2014, both Royal St George’s and Royal Troon have followed suit. Many would see Muirfield as being the missing link with modern times.

To read the original article, click here

NGO / Polaris Sportsman 110 Youth ATV Draw Prize Delivered

/in /by

The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation / Polaris 2016 Prize Draw for a brand new Polaris Sportsman 110 EFI Youth ATV, worth £2,799 (incl. VAT), was won by Tony Hewitt from near Leeds, an NGO member who beats on his local shoot. All proceeds from the sale of the draw tickets go to funding the work of the NGO in promoting and defending keepering. Polaris is an NGO sponsor.

Lucky winner: Tony Hewitt (pictured right) takes delivery of a brand new Polaris Sportsman 110 EFI Youth ATV from Matt North of Polaris dealer Forktruck Solutions in Ossett, West Yorkshire.

Tony Hewitt, the winner of the Polaris Sportsman 110 EFI Youth ATV, a retired self-employed electrician, said: “I was actually taking a line of beaters across a field when the NGO phoned me to say I’d won. You can guess the uproar that caused! It was a shock alright, but I am absolutely delighted. I can guarantee the vehicle will be put to very good use.”

Mr Hewitt added: “I am a supporter member of the NGO and my winning draw ticket was one of the book of tickets that came with my copy of Keeping the Balance, the NGO magazine. I bought the lot. I’d recommend everyone does the same. I’d like to thank both the NGO and Polaris for their generosity. It was a wonderful surprise.”

“Polaris is exceptionally pleased to be a part of this support for the NGO,” said Jim Clarke, Country Manager “and we join in sending our congratulations to Mr. Hewitt and wish all who use the Sportsman Youth ATV the greatest enjoyment.”

Liam Bell, the Chairman of the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation, said: “May I send huge congratulations to Mr Hewitt on buying the winning ticket for the Polaris Sportsman 110 EFI Youth ATV. I’d like to thank him, and all the others who kindly bought tickets, for supporting our draw, as the proceeds help fund the work of the NGO in safeguarding the interests of keepering. And a big thank you, too, to Polaris for its sponsorship.”

The Sportsman 110 EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) offers a wide variety of safety features, such as an adjustable throttle limiter to allow adults to set the vehicle’s maximum speed, daytime running lights, full floorboards and heat shields. Other features include an electric start, automatic transmission, 4-stroke 110cc engine, and long travel suspension. The ATV comes with a high visibility whip flag, safety video and a helmet to help teach children the importance of wearing the correct safety gear. Adult supervision is required for all riders under 16.

Polaris is the industry leader in youth off-road vehicles and heads the pack in promoting youth rider safety. Its youth model off-road vehicles (ORV) lead the way with safety features, making them one of the best-selling youth lines around. Polaris strongly encourages anyone operating an ORV to take appropriate training. A training session with the EASI (European All-Terrain Vehicle Safety Institute) is included free of charge with each Polaris purchase. Extra sessions are available directly from the EASI.

Polaris is the world leader in ATVs, the Polaris Sportsman being one of the best-selling ATVs of all time. As the All-Terrain Specialist, the company also offers the widest range of UTVs with the Ranger Diesel 1000 and six-seater Ranger Diesel 1000 Crew featuring as working and sporting vehicles for outdoor and recreational pursuits, especially keepering and shooting.