Pentwyn community bowled over by cricket club success

Torfaen council has secured £350,000 of Heads of the Valley funding to complete phase two of the new cricket club and wellbeing centre in Pentwyn.

It is hoped construction will start in November on the building, which will feature changing rooms, a fitness room, IT meeting and training room, main function room and small kitchen. There will also be an open veranda so people can watch cricket or simply enjoy the view.

Ward member and executive member for housing, planning and public protection, Councillor Gwyneira Clark, said: "This is great news for the people of Pentwyn and the surrounding area. It's been a long hard struggle to find the funds over the last few years, which makes it even more wonderful that we have now succeeded.

"Community sports facilities and health centres are focal points for our communities, offering a wide-range of social and wellbeing benefits and helping to improve the quality of life of local residents.

"They encourage the involvement of local people, the development of the area and help create a local identity which residents can be proud of. The new cricket club and wellbeing centre will become the social, sporting and environmental focal point for the area.

"We want more people to live healthy lives and that means taking exercise more often. The new facilities will play a pivotal role in promoting this aim."

The funding for the second phase of the project follows a previous Heads of the Valleys grant of £80,000 for improvements to the car park, water harvesting, fencing and landscaping.

The environmentally-friendly scheme features a large rain water harvesting tank that will store up to 6,000 litres of water to service the building and water the cricket pitch.

The heating system will be green energy from a ground source heat exchange and the toilets will be flushed using water harvested from the roof.

The chair of the Pentwyn Cricket Club, Brian White, said: "We are delighted the council has secured the funds to take the next phase of the cricket and wellbeing centre forward.

"We currently run three senior teams and have a large, thriving junior section. The improved facilities and wellbeing centre will attract people to the game of cricket and hopefully encourage them to embrace a healthier lifestyle too.

"This has been a great year for the club as we have come top of both the Saturday and Sunday cricket leagues this year and these new fantastic facilities will make us one of the most successful small clubs in this part of Wales."