Ashby cricket club’s call for support ahead of move

A Leicestershire cricket club relocating to a new home after almost three decades is appealing for support.

Packington Cricket Club, which has records dating back to 1861, was served notice in 2023 to leave Ashby School’s Range Road fields, where it had played since 1995.

The club has been granted permission to relocate to Western Park in Ashby-de-la-Zouch by the town council.

However, as the site has not hosted cricket for many years, the club has had to stump up all of its existing finances to make the move possible.

The club is seeking support towards items including lawn scarifying equipment and sightscreens.

The club initially set a £500 target on its fundraising but with its finances drained, it needs as much support as it can get to allow it to continue feeding into the wider Ashby sporting landscape.

Packington play in the Derbyshire County Cricket League Division Seven South and supports nearby Leicestershire & Rutland League Division One side Ashby Hastings Cricket Club’s juniors.

Chairman Giles Bee said the club helped to promote cricket in Ashby and also “encourages the next generation of cricketers to come through”.

“We have exhausted our club’s resources, and when you are a small club you don’t like to ask the same people to put their hand in their pocket all the time,” he added.

“We want to hit the ground running when we start playing again in May.”

Ashby School said it asked Packington to vacate to allow the redevelopment of its playing fields as three new football pitches, to meet the increasing needs of the school, which has recently expanded to take children from Year 7.

A school spokesperson said: “We wish Packington CC success in the future and hope that they can secure a new facility that accommodates their requirements.”