Higham CC open refurbished pavilion

On Saturday 12 April, Higham Cricket Club celebrated another milestone in their remarkable recent growth – the completion of their pavilion refurbishment, which has significantly enhanced and increased the capacity of the building. Over the last few years, Higham CC has developed into a real community hub, open throughout the week, not just on matchdays. This has highlighted the need for more space to accommodate the demands of this vibrant community. The new upgrades have revitalised the pavilion; expanding its size, whilst maintaining its unique charm and character. 

 

The club welcomed England legend Mike Gatting to perform the official opening of the newly refurbished pavilion. The event marked two milestones, one being the official opening of the refurbished facilities, the other being Higham CC’s 150th anniversary. All this at a club whose future was in real doubt ten years ago. 

 

The development of the ground has been nothing short of remarkable. The existing pavilion was opened in 2018; then, in 2022 a new changing room building was built to replace the old one in the north-east corner of the ground. This building has three bays, with main dressing rooms on either side and a dressing room in the middle with specific facilities for women & girls and disability cricket; another phase of development saw the installation of an excellent brand-new net facility; and now the seven-year old pavilion has been completely refurbished. 

 

Higham CC are an ambitious and forward-thinking club with clear goals, to: 

 

• nurture a love for cricket among players of all ages, 

• boost participation in Women’s & Girls’ and Disability Cricket 

• continue to strengthen its community connections 

 

The club’s junior cricket programme now spans all age groups from under 9s to under 15s; they field two women’s teams for both hardball and softball formats – in addition, of course, to their two senior teams in the YCSPL and a Sunday team in the Barnsley & District CL. In addition, the club are excited to be launching two new disability teams in partnership with Yorkshire Disability Cricket, further promoting participation throughout the county and reaffirming their status as a Disability Hub in the County. 

 

At the opening ceremony, club chairman Daniel Bamforth expressed the club’s thanks for the amazing support they have received from not only the ECB, YCB and YCSPL, but also to the local community and sponsors who have helped them along the way; in particular, ANS Construction Ltd, who have done their building work.