Community Story: Seaham Park Cricket Club

It’s cricket taking centre stage in our latest article focusing on a recent recipient of an Eastern Green Link 1 (EGL1) England Local Community Fund grant from National Grid Electricity Transmission. We are in Seaham in the Northeast of England where Luke Upton chats to  Michael McNicholas of Seaham Park Cricket Club about making the sport open to all, renewable energy, grant funding, the importance of community and more.

Luke Upton: Thanks for speaking to us today, could you open up by telling us about Seaham Park Cricket Club and your community.

Michael McNicholas (MMcN): No problem Luke, Seaham Park Cricket Club is proud to be at the heart of our local community. While cricket is at the centre of what we do, the club is about much more than sport. We aim to provide a welcoming, inclusive and safe environment where people of all ages can come together, take part, volunteer, socialise and feel part of something positive.

We are very proud of our role within the Seaham community and of the players, members, volunteers, supporters and local families who make the club what it is. Like many grassroots sports’ clubs, a huge amount of work takes place behind the scenes, much of it carried out by volunteers who give their time to ensure the club continues to thrive. Our focus is not only on today, but also on making sure Seaham Park Cricket Club remains a strong and sustainable community asset for future generations.

We are most proud of our “cricket free for all” initiative that ensures no kid misses our on playing cricket due to financial circumstances

LU: You’ve just received funding from the Eastern Green Link 1 (EGL1) England Local Community Fund from National Grid Electricity Transmission and Localgiving. Can you tell us some more about the solar panels project, what it will help fund and what it aims to deliver?

(MMcN): We are extremely grateful to have received funding from the Eastern Green Link 1 (EGL1) England Local Community Fund, provided by National Grid Electricity Transmission and administered by Localgiving.  The funding will support our solar panels project at Seaham Park Cricket Club. The project is an important investment in making our facilities more sustainable and energy efficient.

Installing solar panels will allow the club to generate more of its own renewable electricity, helping us to reduce our reliance on electricity from the grid and manage our ongoing energy costs. For a grassroots community sports club, reducing regular running costs can make a significant difference, allowing more of our resources to be directed towards maintaining and improving our facilities and supporting cricket and community activities.

Just as importantly, the project will help reduce the club's environmental impact. We want Seaham Park Cricket Club to look to the future and demonstrate that community sports organisations can play their part in becoming more sustainable.

Ultimately, the project is about creating a greener, more financially sustainable club that can continue serving the Seaham community for many years to come.

LU: How important is this kind of grant funding to your organisation?

(MMcN): Grant funding like this is incredibly important to a grassroots club such as ours. There are always costs involved in maintaining and improving sporting and community facilities, and major infrastructure projects can be very difficult to fund through normal club income alone. Grants give organisations like Seaham Park Cricket Club the opportunity to make improvements that otherwise might have to be delayed for many years or may simply not be possible.

The EGL1 England Local Community Fund has enabled us to invest in something that should provide benefits well beyond the initial installation. The solar panels will help us manage energy costs while also improving our environmental sustainability.

We are extremely grateful to National Grid Electricity Transmission and Localgiving for recognising the value of investing in grassroots organisations and the communities they serve.

LU: Brilliant, thanks very much, as we always like to ask our interviewees, more money aside, what would help you most?

(MMcN): Volunteers, involvement and continued community support are probably the most valuable things any grassroots sports club can have.

Clubs like ours depend enormously on people giving their time, whether that is helping with cricket, maintaining facilities, supporting events, assisting behind the scenes or simply coming along and supporting the club.

We would always encourage people from the local community to get involved. You don't necessarily have to play cricket to become part of Seaham Park Cricket Club. There are many ways people and local businesses can support us, and every contribution helps strengthen the club.

We would also welcome opportunities to build stronger partnerships with local organisations, businesses, schools and community groups. Working together can help us reach more people and make even greater use of the club as a community asset.

LU: Love the energy! Thanks so much for sharing what your team means to your community. Is there anything else you'd like to inform our readers about ?

(MMcN): There is a real sense of pride in what we are building at Seaham Park Cricket Club.

Our focus is on continuing to develop the club both on and off the field, improving our facilities, encouraging participation in cricket and ensuring the club remains welcoming and accessible to the wider community.  The solar panels project is another important step in that journey. It isn't simply an investment in equipment on a roof; it is an investment in the long-term future and sustainability of the club.

None of what we achieve would be possible without our volunteers, members, players, supporters, sponsors and the wider Seaham community. We would like to thank everyone who contributes to the club, as well as National Grid Electricity Transmission and Localgiving for supporting this project through the Eastern Green Link 1 England Local Community Fund.

We are proud of our history, but we are equally excited about the future and ensuring Seaham Park Cricket Club continues to be a place that future generations can enjoy and be proud to call their club.

Find out more about the EGL1 Project by clicking here. 

You may also be interested in: 

• Community Story: Tadcaster Volunteer Community Support Association
• Why some UK charities win grants 28% bigger than the sector average
• Why fundraisers are switching from ChatGPT to Localgiving

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