As Trent Bridge hosts the second test match of the English summer, less than a mile away from the iconic ground one Nottinghamshire cricket club is providing a pathway for future Stuart Broads and Heather Knights.

Family-friendly Ellerslie Cricket Club in West Bridgford is a ‘community club’ which is helping to making a difference to cricketers of all ages, gender and ability by providing a safe and inclusive environment to play the sport.

Nottinghamshire County Council has played a key role in this by helping the club improve its facilities, contributing thousands of pounds via its Local Community Fund (LCF) – formerly the Local Improvement Scheme – to help it replace ageing equipment which has ultimately helped to attract new members.

Since 2019, the county council has provided funding worth more than £11,000 to help the club on Little Bounds buy new practice nets and renovate its accessible toilet facilities.

The nets cost £14,000 in total, with the county council contributing £7,000 towards the project, while the toilets are due to be renovated this autumn as part of a £8,030 scheme – with £4,015 of funding coming via the LCF initiative.

Councillor Gordon Wheeler, the county council’s Deputy Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health and West Bridgford divisional member, says Ellerslie is a club which plays a crucial role in the heart of local community.

He said: “Ellerslie is a fantastic, well-run cricket club which welcomes cricketers of all abilities, gender and age into its fold.

“I support the club as much as I can, and I’m delighted to have seen it grow over the years and become a true community club. The atmosphere is brilliant and it’s always really encouraging to see so many youngsters enjoying their cricket whenever I visit. 

“It’s not only a wonderful place to play cricket but also an invaluable asset to the community it serves, especially at a time when it’s never been more important to keep fit and active.

“I’m thrilled that we’ve been able to provide financial support to Ellerslie and it once again highlights how the Local Communities Fund can make a real difference to our residents’ health and wellbeing.

“I would wholeheartedly encourage anyone in West Bridgford or the wider Rushcliffe area who wants to play cricket to go along to Ellerslie Cricket Club to take advantage of the facilities it has to offer.

“Who knows? Perhaps one day Nottinghamshire will produce another Stuart Broad thanks to initiatives like this.”

The club, which celebrated its centenary last year, has around 450 members, including 140 juniors – seven of whom represent Nottinghamshire in county age group cricket.

It has four senior teams which play in the Gunn & Moore South Notts Cricket League, including an XI in the Development Division, and a thriving junior section featuring sides from under 10 to under 15 age groups, while its under 17s compete in the Leicestershire Youth League.

Ellerslie also offers women’s and girls’ softball cricket and walking cricket for over 50s at Rushcliffe Arena, while the club has strengthened its links with Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club.

The club’s president, Bob Garland, said the support and funding from the county council had played a significant part in helping Ellerslie move forward.

He said: “Nottinghamshire County Council has been tremendous. It gave us the basis for four new practice nets in 2020 and one of our main facilities, an accessible toilet, is going to be upgraded this year – and again, the county council gave us 50% of the funding for that, which will be matched by Rushcliffe Borough Council.

“Without those two major contributions, we would have been struggling. You can’t have people who are disabled coming to a ground like this and are unable to use the accessible toilet.

“It’s been a huge privilege to work with the club and see the amount of enthusiasm and the dynamism. We’ve got a reenergised committee this year and we are doing things now we perhaps wouldn’t have done before.

“I’ve had tremendous support from the club. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it; it’s been a real pleasure. The club is open and inclusive, and we welcome anyone to come along.

“Cllr Wheeler is a terrific and unfailing help. I’ve been here five years and from the moment I first contacted him about the nets, Gordon has been tremendous and supported us.

“You can’t make an application for the Local Communities Fund without the support of your local ward councillor – and he had to write a supporting piece. He gave us tremendous support.

“Anyone who wants to apply for funding needs to have a clear vision of what they want to do at their club, have it carefully costed and all the arguments in place, ensure you have community support and are inclusive. It’s hard work, but clubs can do it.”

Head of junior cricket Nisha Parekh, who has been with the club for 21 years and oversees the development of the women’s section, also thanked the county council for its funding and highlighted Ellerslie’s inclusivity.

She said: “This role makes me happy because the children are happy. We’re very family orientated. Everybody is welcome and I give everyone an opportunity to play cricket, whatever their ability – everyone is included.”

The next round of the Local Communities Fund is due to open this autumn and for further details of eligibility criteria as well as how to apply go to: www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/LCF

For further financial support and advice, check the council’s dedicated cost-of-living support page: www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/business-community/cost-of-living-support