2001/2 Club Awards announced

[<<] [>>] by Hamish Hall
27th February 2003 (CqE Official News)

At the February meeting of the Development Committee, we had to evaluate the nominations for the three club awards that are given every other year in recognition of clubs' endeavours in advancing croquet.

Clubs with one and two courts are eligible for the Townsend award and we had four nominations before us. Blewbury had been forced to relocate from their ground on the outfield of a cricket ground. The Parish Council bought a field and, with the assistance of a £42000 lottery grant and £12000 the club raised itself, they embarked on building two new courts and a brick shelter cum groundsman's store.

Littleton raised £13000 in addition to a grant of £3000 from the CA, Hampshire Sports and local district councils. This enabled them to re-turf and level their two courts and improve the drainage.

Ashby had to relocate once they learnt that their courts were to be dug up for a swimming pool. A lottery grant of £24900 plus £10800 raised from other sources enabled them to build two courts in accordance with CA guidelines.

Southchurch Park is a new club. It had obtained an Awards for All grant and had an excellent first season. Recognising that the award is given for progress over a two-year period, the Committee recommended the club to reapply in 2004 (for progress in 2002/3).

The Committee would have been happy to grant the award to all four clubs, such was the effort that each had put in to advancing the game. But with only one award, we voted to give it to Blewbury, with both Littleton and Ashby receiving a Highly Commended Certificate of Merit.

The Apps Heley Award went to Ramsgate, the only three or four court club to apply. Three of their four courts had been re-laid. The club is in the vanguard in developing Golf croquet, and they are active in the field of youth. They are worthy winners but it was disappointing that no other club in this category felt that they had achieved anything notable in advancing their club or the game.

Nominations from Cheltenham, Sussex County and Hunstanton were received for the Millennium Award, which is given to a club with five or more courts. The Committee, as well as Council, are very conscious of the importance that these major clubs play in all aspects of the game, from hosting major tournaments to running coaching courses and generally being a heavyweight at Federation level. But Hunstanton deserved special consideration. The disastrous fire of the 28th September 2000 could well have been the demise of a lesser club. The insurance money of £50,000 was £30,000 short of the required total funding for restoration. The club appeal was supported from all over the world, reflecting the welcome that players receive at Hunstanton. The Committee had little hesitation in believing that this outstanding achievement would be suitably recognised with the club receiving the Millennium award for progress in 2001/2.

The Committee will be recommending to Management that the CA reintroduce an award for new clubs, as it was evident that it was impossible to evaluate a newly formed club with one that had been established for a long period.

Hamish Hall
Chairman, Development Committee