Thanks to two generous grants, the ground at Coate will soon benefit from upgrades to both the water supply – making Ed and his team’s job just that little bit easier when it comes to watering the square – and the fence surround – no more balls disappearing under or through gaps in the fence. While various club members eschew the classical strokes that ensure the ball stays on the ground, the time saved searching for and retrieving these boundaries will be welcomed by many. Not least that less time on the pitch means more time for ‘refreshments’.
The first grant is for £8,000 and comes courtesy of The Hills Group Limited. The money has been made available through the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF), which is administered for Hills by Community First, the Rural Community Council for Wiltshire.
The second grant, for £5,000, comes from the Wiltshire Cricket Area Board.
The club is extremely grateful to both organisations for their generous support to enable these ground improvements. Those who have played there will know just how good the facilities are. Not least the pitch itself, which was awarded top marks by the two Wiltshire League divisions in which Potterne 3s and 4s (who use our ground on Saturdays) played last season. This included a perfect 20 out of 20 – major recognition of the work that Ed puts in throughout the year.
Following on from the water supply and other ground improvements planned over the next few months, the club is to carry out an extensive ground levelling/landscaping project this autumn.