Newsletter - December 2019

Chairman’s remarks

Welcome to our first Newsletter!

Welcome to the second newsletter; Christmas Cricket greetings to Everyone! As they say the sap will soon be rising and the nights drawing out. The new season will soon be here.

I want to give you all a summary about what we are working on. First of all I want to personally thank Becky and John for keeping the Balcony running. The Board has sent out an advert for a new manager of the bar with the position ideally to be filled by the end of January 2020. A Balcony committee has been established and the first meeting was held on the 4th December at 7.30pm. The Balcony will have two new directors from the board enabling decisions to be made and actions implemented speedily. The Balcony committee will assist the Balcony in many areas such as marketing, providing labour and guidance on what the membership of the club require. Please could anyone wanting to get involved with the Balcony committee please let George or I know.

We are still finalising the Senior shirt sponsorship. I hope to have this nailed by the end of this year. The Fundraising and Membership sub-committee have met and work streams are now in place. The Fundraising Committee is strong but please let George or I know if you want to lend a hand too. Thank you to Aidan Bell for helping to pull this together and to Paul Warren who has agreed to become the Harrogate Cricket Club Treasurer.

All the committees are now up and running and plans are in place for change. January sees the start of the redecorating of the pavilion (see the grounds and maintenance section below).

The senior presentation evening was held on the 6th December 2019. Congratulations to all prize winners. The evening was also used to say a farewell to Miles Rawlings and, more importantly, thank him for all his hard work as Chairman.

Please do join us for a pre-Christmas drink on the 21st December at the club; Santa is making a call! Come when you can- we are looking at a 5.30pm start for the youngest members!

Cheers

Steve Clark (07919681533).

Men’s Cricket Update

There is very little update to provide on Men’s senior cricket. Preparations are still ongoing for the 2020 season.

The senior presentation evening for the 2019 season was held on the 6th December 2019 at Harrogate Cricket Club. Congratulations to all prize winners.

Winter nets start on Monday 20th January 2020 at Rossett. They will run from 9pm to 10pm. This was the only week night slot we could find (the alternative was midday on a Sunday which was rejected by all). We have moved away from St Aidan’s to ensure we have four net lanes and longer run ups. The first team squad will also train at Headingley for three or four sessions in March. Details of those will be confirmed in due course.

We will be entering two evening league teams in the Harrogate Evening league next year.

Junior Cricket Update

Winter nets start in January when the schools go back. Booking forms need to be returned by the 20th December.

The under 11s are currently taking part in the winter indoor league. The under 9 team have reached the finals day for their age group. The under 13 indoor league starts early in 2020. Match fees will increase to £4 a match for 2020 games.

We are in the process of finalising a written document outlining a strategy for junior development from the under 14 age group upwards.

The Nidderdale junior league AGM has been held. Two key matters have emerged. The under 9s summer league will be going back to an incredi ball. The under 17s league becomes an under 18s league.

Please attend the Christmas social on the 21st December. All juniors, seniors, members, friends and family welcome.

Women and Girls Cricket

Nat Crossland attended the Nidderdale Womens’ League AGM at the end of November. They are going to launch an outdoor Soft Ball Cricket League for 2020. Harrogate CC will be entering a team/s and there will also be an opportunity for Women and Girls to play in the Hard Ball league, more details to follow in the New Year.

Andy Hawkswell is going to be running indoor nets - both hard and soft ball for girls starting in January, as long as there is enough interest, details to follow via Andy, any enquiries to: andy@Think-cricket.co.uk.

Harrogate are entering two teams into the Indoor Soft Ball League which Andy Hawkswell has set up. This will run from January to March, Harrogate High, Wednesday 6:30pm-7:30pm. It is likely we will play a match every other week and have training sessions on the other week. Sign up via: http://www.think-cricket.co.uk/product/women-girls-cricket/. No up front payment, pay as you play. The more the merrier and you can attend as many or few sessions as you are able to.

If you have any questions about womens and girls cricket then please contact Nat Crossland (natcrossland@hotmail.com).

The Balcony

Our thanks as ever go to John and Becky who have done, and continue to do, a tremendous job in ensuring the Balcony continues to run in Jure’s absence.

Jure’s contract expires at the end of January. As we announced in an email sent to members, we are in the process of recruiting for a new club steward to manage the Balcony. If anyone knows anyone who would be suitable for this role please contact John Cameron, Steve Clark or George Owram.

In addition, we are looking to recruit two new directors to help oversee the decision making for the running of the Balcony. The new directors will not have to do any of the actual bar work. They would assist with management decisions and strategy. If anyone would be willing to be a director then please let John Cameron, Steve Clark or George Owram know.

The Balcony continues to open throughout the winter. The opening times are:

Monday – closed (save for the 23rd December when we are open).

Tuesday – closed

Wednesday – closed

Thursday – 17.00 – 23.00

Friday – 17.00 – 23.00

Saturday – 15.00 – 23.00

Sunday – 13.00 – 18.30

The winter months are naturally a quieter time for the Balcony but we would urge all members to try and support the Balcony as often as they can. Please introduce friends and family to the bar and make the wider community aware of it. In addition, the function room is available to hire for private functions.

Grounds and Maintenance Update

The Grounds and Maintenance committee has met several times now. Thanks go to Andy Leatham who has chaired the committee and done a fantastic job in putting a plan in place for the repair works needed to the pavilion and ground.

We now need the help of volunteers. In the winter months, January and February, we have decided to start with the internal painting of the pavilion and Balcony Bar. The painting will be done by a team of volunteers. There will be four painting sessions in January (Saturday 11th January 2020, Sunday 12th January 2020, Sunday 19th January 2020, Sunday 26th January 2020).

The club will provide brushes, paint and any other equipment. Sessions start at 10am and run into the afternoon. Bacon butties and croissants will be provided for morning volunteers and for those left at the end of the day there will be a pint or a glass of wine waiting. If anyone has a couple of hours to spare, or knows any friends who could lend a hand, then please do get involved. If you can make any session, please let George Owram know (gowram6@googlemail.com or 07766000853).

The Grounds and Maintenance Committee would also like to thank Paul Baxter and Dacre Son and Hartley. Paul has kindly offered to have a full structural survey completed on the pavilion and Tavern. We are extremely grateful for Paul’s continuing support.

Sponsorship and Fundraising

The Sponsorship and Fundraising Committee have met for the first time. A strategy has been formed to have a targeted campaign to generate more sponsors. Various sponsorship options and packages will be available. If anyone knows any businesses who would be willing to sponsor the club then please contact Steve Clark or Aidan Bell.

Our sincere thanks, as ever, go to our sponsors for 2019. They are: Troy Foods, Dacre Son and Hartley, Bill Scorah, Kettlewell Fuels, Slingsby Gin, Feather Smailes and Scales, Advantage Interpsort, Zero Dry Time, William and Victoria Restaurant, Peregrine Print, Harrogate Family Law, Shepherd’s Dog Public House, Envirovent, and Cold Bath Brewery. Without our sponsors the club would not function and we are extremely grateful to them.

Forthcoming Events

· 21st December 2019 – Christmas drinks from 5.30pm at the Cricket Club. All welcome. Santa will be making an appearance for the juniors!

· Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th January 2020 – Indoor painting and decorating sessions at the club. Volunteers needed!

· Sunday 19th January 2020 – Indoor painting and decorating session at the club. Volunteers needed!

· Monday 20th January 2020 – Senior indoor nets start. 9pm – 10pm Rossett School.

· Sunday 26th January 2020 – Indoor painting and decorating session at the club. Volunteers needed!

· 26th March 2020 – The Harrogate Cricket Club Annual Dinner. This year’s speaker will be Robert Croft. Robert comes highly recommended and is said to be extremely entertaining. Anyone wanting to attend the dinner, or to take a table of 10, please contact Rob Kay or Duncan Clark (harrogatecricketclub@gmail.com).

Communication

Please can all members ensure that the Secretary, Duncan Clark, has your up to date email address. Please email harrogatecricketclub@gmail.com if you do not think you are on our mailing list.

Please follow the club on Instagram, Facebook and or Twitter. If anyone has any club news items that should be shared on social media then please get in touch with Rob.

Finally, have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Harrogate Cricket Club