The Problem
As you can see from our photos, our existing wooden building's kitchen area has no heating, insulation is too small and does not have extensive natural ventilation - which is a problem now during COVID-19. This leads us onto this project.....
Our Project
Despite being in existence since 1894, it is the last 10 years which have seen a real development at the club as we have pushed hard for inclusion of the community since the community centre closed in 2013. Now we need to develop our facilities even further...
The drawing below is our existing footprint - which shows a lack of space, causing us a massive problem now with social distancing guidelines to manage.
This poses a problem when trying to accommodate young and older people during COVID-19.
What compounds this further, as the building has no extensive ventilation during COVID-19, it has rendered the building unusable.
Plan below of our existing facility.
We have been forced to consider our options as we ease out of lockdown and return to play.
Hunwick CC are pursuing a new sports & community building which once complete will have much larger spaces, additional space to what we have at present and will have better functional services.
To enhance participation and ensure people can return to play; we are adapting the building design to implement more usage as we come out of lockdown. The building is far bigger (allowing social distancing) as we have large bi-fold doors at the front to encourage natural ventilation. We have also implemented additional openable windows than previously designed.
Our plans for a new large kitchen with plenty of space including wheelchair users, and social spaces with ventilation can be seen here.
We also are installing a lift to accommodate disabled wheelchair users to our second floor.
We would like investment to provide a fully fitted kitchen and social area within our new community building. Its fair to say we have a rich history, incredible story and have had a great journey. Now its time to push a little harder to ensure we have a legacy which we can be proud of....please join us on our journey!!
Our Overall Aim
- We want to provide a new sports & community facility in times of need.
- Provide a facility which caters for wheelchair users
- Provide social spaces which are adapted so it complies with latest guidelines
Our History
Originally established in 1894, Hunwick CC has come a long way in a short space of time. 25 years ago our cricket club was forced to co-share the local school field. We had no facilities of our own, no security over the area....and at that point no real future.
We were forced to leave the school field due to an oil tank leak onto the pitch, and the nearby old former coal mining site in the village was being reclaimed at the time. This photo below was taken in 1996 and shows the 'heaps' as they were known which shortly would become the new home of our cricket club.
Our efforts to Date
Once the heaps were reclaimed and turned into a "makeshift" cricket field - we set away to create our own legacy.
Fast forward to 2021, and as you can see we have worked tirelessly over the last 25 years to turn an unloved piece of land into a club that sits at the heart of the community.
In 2013, the community centre closed and we've welcomed several other groups over the years to share our facilities.
The below photo taken in 2020 shows our "home of cricket" :-)
Over the years our committee have worked to build improvements year on year....
1) Firstly we built a digital cricket scorebox through the hard work of the committee...!
2).....Then we decided to add a patio area to our existing building so families and children could come and enjoy themselves, see below for the work in progress!
.....this gave it a much needed facelift - see below!
3) We then decided to give ourselves more security so invested in a new 47m² on-site secure garage...!!
4) We even decided to create a junior system in 2011, and now boast close to 50 kids in our academy!!....so we worked to get funding for some new all-weather outdoor practice nets!
We run our junior training on Friday nights, with 50+ kids attending - plus parents meaning our ground is bustling!...ONE OF OUR BEST ACHIEVEMENTS!
We therefore invest a lot of time in junior recruitment...because our club now hinges on juniors coming through!
Ben is one of our real success stories, he started playing when he was 8 years old and now plays in our 1st team...here he is scoring his first 100 for our Under 18 team!!
5) We are an ECB affiliated club, obtaining ClubMark status back in 2015 also which is massive achievement for our club.
6) We have senior teams who play also...
7) And to reward the tireless work that goes on, we entered the "North East Sports and Community Club of the Year" (amongst 220 entries!) - and guess what.....we WON!
Testimonials...
We have discussed our plans with Hunwick Primary School about creating transparent school links and have received a letter of support, to which we quote:
---
“Having a multi-purpose facility such as this in Hunwick would be of great value to our pupils and their families, giving a space for a broad spectrum of events to be held, and consequently helping to build greater links between the school and the wider community”.
~ Mr. Stuart Joyce – Headteacher at Hunwick Primary School
“Further investment in the facilities available at the Cricket Club can only be of direct benefit to Hunwick Harriers also. Both clubs continue to grow rapidly following the closure of the village community centre and youth club five years ago, and support for the Cricket Club’s proposals would not only facilitate the continued growth and development of both Hunwick Cricket Club and Hunwick Harriers but would also assist in ensuring that these vital sporting assets and focal points of the local community can continue to be sustained in the long term”
~ Mr. Mark Ketley – Chairman of Hunwick Harriers
The lack of larger, flexible, community spaces in the village is an ongoing problem for several groups. Our church building does not currently lend itself to different types of events and without a parish hall our efforts to serve the community in many activities is severely restricted. The possibility of using the cricket clubs proposed, enhanced facilities would indeed be welcomed by St Paul’s and bring benefits to our village and surrounding areas”
~ Mrs. Sybil Watson– Secretary from St. Paul's Church Council
"When our company was established in June 2016 we required a base for our company, and, we contacted Hunwick Cricket Club. They immediately offered their facilities to Five Palms and since then cannot do enough for us. They recently told me they were considering pursuing future financial assistance to provide a new building, for which the intention is to allow all members of Hunwick CC and partner organisations to benefit. I can think of no more deserving project than Hunwick CC"
~ Mr. Brian Morris - Managing Director at Five Palms Limited
"In my view Hunwick Cricket Club is not just a prime place for expanding the offer of community provision within the Village it is the only place available to do so"
~ Mrs. Olwyn Gunn - Hunwick & Willington Councillor & Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s Services
"Hunwick CC are the real "hub" of the community - they provide not only sporting opportunities across cricket and athletics but also regularly interact with the schools and other groups by the use of their facilities. I happily sponsor the club, in particular the junior section they have going. They are a real success story of the village and surrounding area"
~ Mr. Steven Smith - Managing Director of Cash Converters
