LATEST NEWS TRAINING FACILITIES UPGRADE STARTS LATEST NEWS

46 fabulous, fantastic players and supporters set out on the Oakworth Orbiter on a really cold damp Sunday morning. The course as predicted proved boggy in many parts as the tour around t'village unfolded.....more

Recently qualified Level Two Coach Chris Ellis has backed his young charges to the hilt with a £150 donation to the fund to complete the Training Nets. Chris is credited with coming up with the idea of the new Nets. So a fantastic thanks to Chris, who is a Tiler by trade - so if you're wanting that Bathroom doing he's your man, providing he's not coaching that is.

A cheque for £475 has been received from Hanson's Furnishers of Crosshills, club sponsors for many years. Its yet another indication of the massive support for our project to have top notch Training Facilities for all nine of our teams. Many, many thanks to Hansons.

Fantastic turn out

The bag packing at Sainsbury's was a terrific effort from over 50 club members and their families as the good citizens of Keighley dug deep to help junior Oaks with our Training Fund. The store was awash with youngsters, mostly in whites and many of whom received high praise from shoppers and staff alike for their courtesy and charm in the operation. Their efforts raised over £840 towards our commitment.

After a short delay work is now underway again at the Training Facility as you can see the framework is virtually complete. A period of good weather is now needed to allow completion of the carpet fitting.

Whilst progress has been made on the ground, the poor weather has held things up a little. On the financial front many of the funding agencies seem to operate to a time frame different from the needs of a cricket club. The club is pursuing a phased approach to the construction as funds become available.

Our appeal for help with funding has met with approval from Keighley Town Council who have contributed £500 to our growing fund. Supporters may recall that 3 years ago they helped us purchase the club bowling machine; so once again many many thanks to our local government administrators.

Groundwork

Groundwork at the Club is not quite completed just yet. Our President kept an eye on Balfour Beatty as they did a sterling job with the filling and rolling etc and we just await a final level and roll from JMS.

Lets raise the funds!!

Finances received to date have covered our expenditure to date so its now all hands to the pumps to raise around £10,000 to complete the carpeting and framework. Secretary Michael Davison is to write to every member outlining what is required. We're going to need a lot of personal effort to raise the dosh but with the odd grant (hopefully) and a lot of effort from everyone we should be able to make it.

Balfour Beatty

The convoy of stone wagons came from Skipton and far away Nuneaton with tons of the material for the base of our intended practice facility. Friday 12th October was the date and as the shuttering was going in so was the stone!! Balfour Beatty did a grand job, having the additional task of dumpering the stuff from inside the gate as the 20t wagons couldn't make it up the slope!

Slowly the base too shape and we now await the rolling this week!! Finally the last bits of shuttering for the batting areas are to go in, mainly as we forgot them first time around. JMS have had a look to make sure we're on track.

Major Sponsorship for Nets

Balfour Beatty Utilities Ltd (BBUL), who are presently working in the Keighley Area renovating water mains have agreed to provide sponsorship for Oaks to help their quest to improve training facilities. Our rapidly expanding club is to install two new all-weather Astra-Turf practice nets with the help of JMS Ltd of Keighley. BBUL will provide labour and equipment to excavate the foundations for the 38m x 6m plot near the present Oaks score-box. Tarmac and Mansetter quarries are to deliver over 100 tons of special stone base material and 'Olicet' surface dressing to start the project in October. In March-April the Astraturf carpet and net superstructure will be fitted by JMS, ready for the 2008 cricket Season.

BBUL Construction Manager Terry Cooper said " W are delighted to be able to help such a go-ahead club that supports recreation and Sport for so many youngsters."

Second Major Sponsorship for Nets

Following news of the marvellous sponsorship deal with Balfour Beatty Utilities Ltd, Yorkshire Water Services have now agreed to chip in hard cash to help Oaks with their winter Project. A four-figure sum is to be provided to help Oaks raise the probable £15,000 which will be needed to complete the Training facility.

For Yorkshire Water, Solutions Manager Lee Boshell, added " Oakworth CC have got great vision and we are only too willing to assist the development of the next generation of cricketers."

Project Manager Terry Thompson added "We've a long way to go yet but with these two major companies backing us we've got a great start."

This has led to a massive increase in the number of youngsters wanting to learn how to play cricket, such that practices have sometimes been over-whelmed.

This above installation is at Rochdale CC by JMS of Keighley

Financial support from Keighley Council enabled us to purchase a Bola bowling machine so that we could  step up the development rates for our young batsmen.

So the Club Committee have supported a project put forward by Chris Ellis that we pursue installation of at least two new all-weather netted training lanes, somewhere on the ground.

An approach has been made to JMS specialists of Keighley to explore the technical installation requirements and likely costings.

The facility shown above was installed by JMS.. at UAJCL rivals and Aire-Wharfe  club Upper Wharfedale CC

What we need now is for every club member to think very hard if they have contacts, commercial, trade or personal, who might be willing and able to contribute to either the finance, materials or labour that we will require. 

We are looking for help with the excavation, provision of the base infill materials and purchase of the super-structure of carpet and cages.