We’re going to start this letter with news of another terrible loss amongst our ranks of former
players. Rich Mendum played 40 games for Poulton between 2005 & 2011 taking regular wickets
with a fearsome bowling action which left batsmen fearing for their lives and wondering whether
the ball was heading at your feet or head at speed. Rich certainly had no idea either. He was another
of life’s brilliant characters, always cheerful and smiling when not tearing around in a seriously quick
Renault. He was a fantastic teacher and had recently become head teacher at Nailsworth Primary on
top of his position at Kempsford. On top of that he was a great friend to many in the club even
though he stopped playing. He’d always greet you like a long lost friend he was so pleased to see and
is yet another who will be missed terribly.
Key Dates Coming up. All already on website club calendar and being uploaded to Spond.
- 16th February - PFAC & Cricket Club Meeting
- 12th March - First Senior Nets
- 14th March - First Under 11 & 13 Nets
- 15th March - First Girls, Women’s & u15 Nets
- 15th April - Get Club Ready for Season day, BBQ & intra-Senior Club Friendly
- 18th April - Evening GACO Umpiring course at Englands
- 21st April - Youth Induction Evening, u7-u13 Training & Club Social
- 25th April - Evening First Aid Course at Englands
- 26th April First Women’s Game
- 6th May First Saturday League Games
- 26th May Club Golf Day at Cirencester Golf Club
As you can see form the above, administration is gathering pace for the 2023 season, League
committee meetings have started again and the youth leagues & fixtures are being selected for the
summer as well. The committee is meeting at the end of next month to finalise plans for the early
part of the season. Things are going well so far, thanks to the Hundred Club providing additional
income on top of our continued cost saving, the club is in a materially stronger position year-on-year
however the pavilion has been hammered by inflated energy bills with the April electricity bill a real
concern.
Sponsorship, fundraising, donations & membership fees are going to be critical for us to hit our
targets this season as will the Club Golf Day.
2023 Membership & Forms
Membership for the 2023 season will soon be ready to purchase. Everyone who did not complete a
membership form via the website last season MUST complete one this season or have a parent
complete it on their behalf. We’ll invoice membership directly from the FreeAgent website this
season with an invoice coming with bank details for the club and a stripe payment link if preferred.
Details to come next month. If you are in doubt whether you have done a form or not, please
contact Will Bathurst.
EDI Update
Our Chairman Will has been elected as Vice Chairman of the Gloucestershire County Cricket League
and has also been asked to join the Gloucester Cricket Foundation’s Equality Diversity & Inclusion
Working Group.
As a club we need to admit that we have work to do on EDI but we are on the right path. A damning
report about the state of our game is about to be published and this will lead amongst many other
things to a new disciplinary policy already on its way for every league in England, it’s goal is to unify
the process across leagues but it reaches far beyond the boundary and has major implications on
both clubs and players.
Every club member must remember that even things said in intended jest on a WhatsApp can be
interpreted by others in a different way to which they were intended and it is how things are
received that matters. Everyone is welcome as a member of this club and our codes of conduct and
policies affirm that and the role of every member to look after every other one as well as all
opponents.
Training Courses
A First Aid Course and a basic Umpiring course have been arranged. The cost of both will be met by
the club. These will be added to the Club Spond group shortly, so please indicate on each if you
would like to attend. All Senior League players should come to the umpiring course. We’ll have the
bar open.
Changes to Spond
Those of you on your Spond apps in the Winter may have noticed some changes going on. As far as is
possible, the club’s administrators are trying to make changes on your behalf. These include, moving
our junior players up an age group where needed, setting up the separate Senior Women’s Group &
Creating a new Club Wide Spond group for parents and senior players which will carry news from the
club and details of all events for the club membership and to mark attendance.
Please log into Spond on your phone or computer and accept the invitations sent to you. Alternatively the links for our respective groups are as follows:
- Club Events & Info Group: https://group.spond.com/TJHCN
- Senior Women’s Group: https://group.spond.com/CIBGP
- Senior Teams Group: https://group.spond.com/MMTQR
- Junior Teams Group: https://group.spond.com/RZDFH
Willow Turf Care has started!
The square at Englands has had a tough winter with a lot of water and frost. Work has started on
getting it ready and it has had its first cut. It will need some fertiliser which is in short supply at the
moment. The Square at Ampney Crucis was not put to bed at the end of last season and needs a lot
of work. We are working on a lease at the moment to split costs and jobs there so that we and the
Ampney Crucis Trustees can budget properly and ensure that it is looked after. Our goal is absolutely
a fourth XI in the future as well as promotion for the 3rd XI. Facilities are everything to achieve this
with financial resource the only constraint.
Girls Team
We are in the position now with a few new joiners that we will be able to start a girls team for the
2023 season which is really exciting for the club to again be in a position to do this again, after all
Claire Manning’s work on our former girls side which became the Cotswold Hub, inexplicably leaving
Poulton and moving to Cirencester. It’s so important to offer Girls the opportunity to experience
both mixed and girls cricket and I am very excited to be at this stage a year ahead of our club
development plan target.
Meeting with Trustees
Our Chairman, Secretary & Village Liaison, Mark Chamberlain are meeting with the Trustees of
Englands next week to discuss the structure governing the playing field and making it more efficient
& clear as well as beginning the process of moving the premises licence to a Club Premises
Certificate.
Pavilion Renovation
We have qualified for a Grant of £10k from the County Grants Fund but the project to renovate the
bar and social areas of the pavilion has been priced at £20k. Work is underway to get additional
quotes and bridge the gap but there is the reality, this is not the most cost effective time to be doing
this work! It may well need to be a target for the end of the season.
