Thetford Town Cricket club to raise £120,000 for new pavilion

A cricket club is trying to reach its fundraising target for a new pavilion after growing “exponentially”.

While the pavilion at Thetford Town Cricket Club in Norfolk is not in a bad condition, chairman Mick Piggott said membership had grown so much that it could no longer accommodate all players when it was raining.

Plans for the new pavilion have been approved by Breckland Council, but the club still needs to raise £80,000 towards its £120,000 target.

“We are the oldest club in Norfolk. I think it’s about time we moved into the 21st Century,” said Mr Piggott.

“Our club has grown and grown and grown and the trouble is the clubhouse itself is so small we can’t even use it for cricket purposes.

“If it rains there are 22 cricketers that need to be sheltered. We can’t all fit in, so it’s really outgrown its usefulness.”

He hopes the new pavilion will be “bigger, better and newer” and will also be used for community events.

However, while the club had previously been told it would receive England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) funding, it missed out on this.

Mr Piggott said: “This has been a long time coming. We started this venture in 2018.

“Due to Covid and a number of other things, funding was rediverted and we had to really generate the funds ourselves.”

Mr Piggott said he hoped the new pavilion would be ready next year.

“We are a family club… We want to make this a totally inclusive club… a club for all…

“It’s about sport, it’s about getting young people active, it’s about getting older people involved.

“It’s really just about giving our cricket club a community feel.”