MALVERN’S sporting community is pulling together to ensure Barnards Green Cricket Club is financially and environmentally stable for years to come.
The club, which plays at North End Lane, is looking to install solar panels on its pavilion to significantly reduce the club’s carbon footprint.
The club has said in recent years, energy bills have reached a level which has threatened its viability.
A crowd-funder has been set up online to pay for the crucial works, with almost £21,000 being pledged in just over a week and over 100 people backing the project.
As well as the solar panels, Barnards Green is also installing a water harvesting system to capture rainwater to use for maintaining the pitch at North End Lane.
Cash raised will also be spent on moving away from fossil fuel-powered equipment, with the club set to buy its first electric lawnmower.
And it will host a new community garden alongside Malvern Green Space in an underused area of the ground.
Once created, the community garden will provide social activities to support local people in growing their own food and getting more active.
In total, the club is aiming for £50,000 to be raised to carry out the project.
Cricket chiefs believe wider support for the scheme could help the club secure Council funding.
Barnards Green Cricket Club plays in the Birmingham and Worcestershire leagues and also has a junior section where Malvern’s future Ben Stokes’s can learn their craft.
A club spokesperson said the project was ‘extremely important’ for its future.
They added: “Being open for our community every day means our energy usage and carbon footprint are relatively high.
“Whilst prices have dropped from the levels during the energy crisis the cost of electricity and fuel for grounds maintenance equipment remains very high.
“At current prices, this project will reduce the club’s utility bills which will secure its future and allow us to continue to invest in facilities for our community.”
People will be able to pledge to the project by donating a minimum of £2.
Visit www.spacehive.com/a-greener-bgcc to donate.
