Tag Archive for: Ciara

Relief fund for Ciara victims

Relief fund for Ciara victims: Storm damaged pitches and facilities could be back in use sooner than expected thanks to a new emergency flood relief fund from Sport England.

The effects of Storm Ciara are still being fully assessed but, in an attempt to rectify the damage as soon as possible, local authorities and community sports organisations are being invited to apply for a grant of up to £5,000 to pay for emergency repairs.

Relief fund for Ciara victims

Relief fund for Ciara victims

Gale force winds and torrential rain have left pitches, pavilions and floodlights in a state of disrepair, with Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire among the worst-hit areas.

The grants, which will come from the Community Asset Fund, can be provided in as little as three weeks. But chief executive, Tim Hollingsworth, has highlighted where attentions should be focused.

“When flooding happens, the priority must be making sure people are safe, they can get back into their homes and vital public services are back up and running,” he said.

“But we know from the floods in 2013 and 2015 that flood water can cause significant damage to sports pitches and pavilions, changing and social facilities.

“We’re making emergency funding available now so when the time is right sports organisations can pay for rebuilds and repairs quickly.

“We want to ensure that the sports facilities in local communities that help keep people physically active are not forgotten in the floods so they are ready to use as soon as people want them.”

The grants could typically be used to restore grass pitches, to repair and decontaminate flood or wind-damaged clubhouses, replace damaged electrical systems or dredge blocked drains.

The Community Asset Fund was designed to help communities quickly respond to emergencies or unexpected events that stop people from being active.

From damaged sports club roofs to areas hit by flood damage, our team aims to provide quick responses to those most badly affected.

Yorkshire Sport Foundation chief executive officer Nigel Harrison said his organisation is working with local authorities, national governing bodies and partner organisations in the west and south of the county to assess the full extent of the damage.

“The impact is far reaching and covers large parts of the area,” he said. “We welcome Sport England’s early intervention, and we look forward to working with them to help get the affected clubs and facilities up and running again as soon as possible.”

Organisations that need assistance with their application should contact the Funding line.

While guidance on dealing with both the aftermath of flooding and mitigating damage can be found on the sustainability page.

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Cricket club counting cost of Ciara

Cricket club counting cost of Ciara: Bridgeholme Cricket Club is counting the cost of being flooded again, but this time it is worse than ever, according to groundsman Keith Hudson.

The club’s Eastwood ground has been flooded several times in recent years, but it has been left in a horrendous state by Storm Ciara over the weekend.

Cricket club counting cost of Ciara

Cricket club counting cost of Ciara

Keith said: “It’s the biggest flood in the club’s history.

“The walls have gone, there’s sand, silt and sludge everywhere, rubbish all over the field, bricks and boulders.

“It’s seriously bad. The hardest thing is what do we do now? How do we put this back together again?

“We’re reputed as one of the most beautiful cricket grounds in Yorkshire, we’ve won awards for how beautiful it is. There’s not many cricket clubs that win a Yorkshire in Bloom award.

“It was bad in 2015, but we put in place all these things to prevent it, like a river wall.

“But this has just flattened it. The wall’s still intact but it’s completely flattened it.

“It’s unbelievable. I live right next to the ground so I could see it happening thinking ‘that’s going to go’ and ‘that’s going to go’.

“I’ve been groundsman for 35 years, and I’ve lived here since 1963, and I’ve never seen anything like it.

“The back of our street was awash with mud and the retaining wall at the bottom of the street was completely flattened.

“Pictures don’t do it justice.

Keith says the club, on Halifax Road in Todmorden, is used by all sorts of people in the community for dog walking, playing sports and children riding bicycles.

“Last time (in 2015) I was there every day for two months. There’s no easy way out of it,” Keith added.

“God knows how much it’s going to cost. Last time it cost £20,000 but you could maybe multiply that by five this time.

“We’ve been told we’ll get some funding from Sport England, the ECB and the YCB but I don’t think there’s enough money out there.

“It’s a mess.”

If you would like to donate to the club’s fundraising appeal, visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sharon-mitchell-5?utm_term=4y3jv6XGV.

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