Friday February 11th 2022

We are pleased to announce that we have been successful in our application for funding to Lancashire Environmental Fund (The Fund) to support our Community Clubhouse Renovation project.

We have been offered up to £14,000 as a contribution towards the costs.

The Fund is a partnership between Suez Recycling and Recovery Ltd, Lancashire County Council, The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside and Community Futures.

The Fund is financed by Landfill Communities Fund donations from Suez Recycling and Recovery Ltd together with a contribution from Lancashire County Council and has distributed over £25 million of grants support to community and environmental projects which benefit the people of Lancashire since its start in 1998.

Club Secretary Mark Taylor said: "We are grateful to Lancashire Environmental Fund for their support towards our clubhouse renovation.

"The renovation work will include removal of the fixed seating and stage, new flooring, painting and decorating, new window blinds, new light fittings, toilet improvements, and new external doors.

"Once completed the room will offer a bright and modern facility for local community groups to use during the daytime or evening.

"Our intention is to create a warm, safe and welcoming all-inclusive environment for anyone to use and to encourage people to meet for any purpose, not just cricket and tennis.

"‘We will be starting work very soon and aim to have the majority of the work completed in the next 2-3 months.

"We hope that players, members, junior parents etc will be able to volunteer some of their time to help with some of the work, please keep an eye on the website and social media for dates.

"The more volunteers we can get the quicker we hopefully get the work completed."

Management Chairman Jonathan Hayhurst added: "Firstly my thanks to the Committee who spent many hours building such a strong case for this funding and for us to succeed in being awarded this amount of money it just shows how LEF believe this will make a real difference not only to the club but to the local community.

"After many years of minimal investment at Accrington this is just one of many improvements the club are currently working on.

"Still ongoing, our biggest project for many years has been to improve the facilities for our players, scorers and officials.

"The club have done this by creating a new changing area for officials and constructing a private changing and showering area.

"We see this as an essential addition to the club.

"One of the biggest pieces of work has been to replace all the upstairs windows which included the three large ones at the front.

"Other areas of improvements have been in the dressing rooms home and away and the installation of new toilet facilities.

"I would like to thank all volunteers for their hard work on making this happen, without these people and the hundreds of hours they have invested these improvements would never be happening.

"I would also like to thank Countryside Properties for their kind donation of materials towards the changing room project.

" Along with the changing facility improvements, the clubhouse refurbishment and many other upgrades across the club on and off the field I hope we can develop as a club and really make a positive impact for not only members but also for the local community."

For enquiries about using the clubhouse once the work is complete, please contact Mark Taylor – marktaylor197@sky.com 07949 610512