to Tingles Tea Room.
Using money secured through the ECB/Waitrose Small grant scheme, the Jewson Nat West Cricket Force initiative and unmeasurable hours of volunteers' time, Mexborough CC are now enjoying the benefits of a re-vamped Tea Room.
The refurbished Tea Room was an opportunity for the club to honour the clubs volunteer groundsman Hugh Tingle (pictured outside the Tea Room). Hughie has been a volunteer groundsman longer than many players can remember.
Philip Barker, club Treasurer said ''Hughie steered the club through the dark years maintaining the infrastructure and allowing recent recruits to rebuild the club to the point where we are now looking to field a third team on a Saturday, alongside our successful Sunday team and 4 junior sides.''
''The Tea Room is now adaptable and can be used as either a Tea Room, Classroom or Meeting room. It has become the base for project meetings to deliver the newly created Mexborough Community Campus. This is an organisation of like minded community groups, funded by the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, with a mission to provide local youngsters with access to positive role models and diversionary activities throughout the six week school holiday.''
The facility now includes new tables, chairs, picnic tables and carpeting with the project also supported by the donation of kitchen units from Crosby Kitchens.
South Yorkshire Coaching Development are using the ground and Tea Room to deliver a Coach Support Workers course and the club hopes that other ECBCA and ECB ACO courses can be held at the venue in the future.
The successful completion of the project (and the spin off activities) is an example of how small clubs can maximise grants, donations and volunteer time to improve existing facilities to create a modern fit for purpose club environment.