Chairman's New Year message and update
Dear all
First of all, I hope you and your families are well at these
uncertain times. Please stay safe.
What a year 2020 has been for all, let alone Merstham Cricket
Club.
Although Covid-19 hit, we still managed to stage all but three
weeks of our winter nets. We started training in July and went
through until September. So we actually offered more training,
although different to normal.
Along with this, we managed to host more than 100 games of cricket
at Merstham. We hosted our first ladies game and 2021 is going to
be big for ladies cricket because next year our team will enter the
Surrey slam and softball league. We also hosted school fixtures,
Surrey over 60s, plus a Surrey v Essex disability game. I have to
thank the grounds team for all their hard work in difficult
situations to maintain the ground and for keeping it looking
stunning, as always.
Since the end of the summer, organising club matters has not
stopped. We have had our defibrillator fitted to the side of the
clubhouse. When Covid restrictions allow, we will be hosting
training on how to use this potentially life-saving item of
equipment.
We have also supported our community with collections for foodbanks
and Stripey Stork, our nominated charity for 2020. Please see below
for the next collections date.
Trees at Quality Street
If you have been to Quality Street recently, you might have noticed
a big change. Big trees at the bottom of the field have been taken
down. We had some very big dangerous branches break off last year.
Woodpeckers had also taken a liking to the trees. The work to
remove them has left a mess, but this is under control. We are just
waiting for the water to dry up. The ground is very, very
wet..
Ring works started
If you have been to The Ring, you might have noticed that the work
has started on the pavilion, thanks to the very few who helped
empty the clubhouse out for the works to start. A big thank you to
Bernard Feist who has managed to gain sufficient funding - and man
power through a charity, VIY - Volunteer It
Yourself, which helps young people learn a trade - and other
places to allow this work to be done. This work includes building a
new store, that needs to be completed by February, taking away the
container, plus refurbishing the inside of the clubhouse to meet
ECB requirements.
Indoor nets, provisional booking
Moving forward, we have provisionally booked indoor nets at St
Bede's for 2021. These will be for the colts, because at the moment
adult indoor activity is unable to take place. In any case, these
net sessions are under review because of the current Tier 4 Covid
regulations. We are enquiring about using the outside AstroTurf, if
the indoor space is unable to be used.
Grants
received
We have had good news lately with a grant from the Battlebridge
(Sports) Club in Merstham. This grant is to be used for junior
activities and equipment which is fantastic news because it will be
able to help us continue to develop this section and our facilities
for all to use.
We have also received £1,000 from Reigate & Banstead Borough
Council for training, particularly that which we carry out for our
disability squad. We thank them and all the organisations which
have given us grants.
A thank you to committee members stepping
down
I would like to thank Ali Pervaiz for his time on the committee
over the past few years in his capacity of sponsorship manager.
This is now a role that we are looking to fill. If interested
please get in touch with me as this is an area we would like to
develop.
I also would like to thank Graeme Attridge who, over the past few
years, has worked hard on the bar making sure it is stocked. He has
also run the bar at Friday night training sessions and was also our
welfare officer, Graeme is stepping down from the committee after
being vice chairman, chairman and bar and welfare manager for the
past 10 plus years. As previously mentioned, we have postponed our
usual January AGM to April, in the hope of being able to hold it in
person. We will keep you posted.
Foodbank next on 16th January
Please keep supporting our collections in aid of foodbanks and Stripey Stork, a local charity which helps families in need. We continue to run our regular foodbanks at the cricket club which are being well supported. My thanks goes out to anyone who has supported these along with Alex Reeves for always being there to help. The next one of these will be on 16th January. Knowing how much this is needed, please try to support these events which we shall continue to run monthly during the winter months.
Happy New Year
Lastly, I would like to wish you all what I hope will be a Happy
New Year and I hope that we will see you in better times at Quality
Street and at The Ring soon. This year has been very strange.
Unfortunately, we have lost some long time supporters of the club,
but we have also welcomed some very new additions to the club and
there are some more due for 2021 I believe.
Once again, I wish you all a Happy New Year and hope that 2021
cricket will be a little more back to normal but, as we showed in
2020, we will manage whatever is needed and have a good
season.
Yours sincerely
Richard Feist
Chairman