Amongst all of the excellent work happening in golf equipment throughout the size and breadth of Scotland, the identify of Westquarter & Redding Cricket Membership stands out. Fashioned in 1908, the membership has all the time sought to put itself on the coronary heart of its neighborhood, however after attaining Scottish Charitable Integrated Organisation standing as Bailliefields Neighborhood Hub (BCH) in 2021, the sky is now the restrict because it appears to be like to develop its mission nonetheless additional.
“The membership membership has all the time drawn from, and been a part of, the local people,” stated Paddy O’Growney, a Trustee of BCH, “and changing into a SCIO was [both a continuation of that vision and a reflection of] the varied nature of [the club’s ongoing work]. Cricket will all the time stay an intergral a part of that, however we need to widen [what we do].
“In 2015 the unique farmhouse constructing on our web site was efficiently transformed to a youngsters’s nursery, and Glenbervie Kindergarden opened their doorways. That rental revenue has allowed BCH to spend money on gear, floor enhancements and neighborhood programmes annually to enhance amenities and, [with that], the lives of [local people].
“However we consider we will make a fair greater affect, [and] this is the reason we’re in search of to hold out an additional improvement of our amenities. Part 1 will see the set up of a brand new modular constructing to exchange our present facility and permit us to run extra neighborhood occasions all 12 months spherical. Part 2 will then see the redevelopment of our current altering rooms and storage constructing to offer a neighborhood corridor, workplace, kitchen and bathroom amenities.
“Part 1 has planning permission, and we’re at present working in direction of the constructing warrant: nearly all of the funding for this part has already been secured. We anticipate to put the order for the modular constructing in September and for it to be totally up and operating by February 2023. Part 2 has planning permission and is part-funded at this stage and we’re actively in search of to boost the remaining funds via numerous occasions and funding companions.”
As a part of these efforts, BCH is raffling off a very particular prize.
“Falkirk Distillery has very generously donated the 111th cask of Cadgers Whisky distilled at Falkirk Distillery,” stated Paddy. “That is value slightly below £5,000 and can assist elevate funds to make BCH a Place for All. Tickets value £10 every, and with solely 2,000 tickets out there it is a improbable alternative to win your personal barrel of this restricted version whisky.”
There could be few extra worthy causes: BCH’s dedication to its neighborhood is actually inspiring.
“Our imaginative and prescient is to make the Hub ‘A Place For All’, and our neighborhood corridor will embody a state-of-the-art disabled bathroom facility (Altering Place), the primary on the east facet of Falkirk, making everybody really feel welcome by making the brand new facility to be as inclusive and accessible as potential.” stated Paddy.
“The redeveloped constructing will even permit us to kind new partnerships with academic, neighborhood, social and charitable teams in addition to increasing our current partnerships, which embody Alzheimer Scotland and Braes Excessive College. This could see developments equivalent to a dementia café and permit us to supply a variety of volunteering alternatives and out of college studying to Braes college students. We’ve got signed as much as, and been accepted as, a Younger Individual Assure employer masking these volunteering alternatives, and the brand new amenities would permit us to [grow those still further, allowing] younger folks in the local people [the chance] to realize actual world expertise in an out-of-school surroundings. It would additionally permit us to offer a much-requested after-school care service to native households via our current relationship with Glenbervie Kindergarden.”
The story of BCH is already a exceptional one: its dedication to its neighborhood and real inclusivity is actually inspiring.
“Making actions inclusive is one in every of our prime priorities,” stated Paddy. “We [were one of the first three] Incapacity Cricket Champion Golf equipment, and our new incapacity part has been added to our extremely profitable EP All Stars for Enhanced Provision lessons at Easter Carmuirs and Langlees. The EP All Stars programme is now being rolled out nationwide by Cricket Scotland.
“At WRCC/BCH we will additionally proudly say we’re probably the most ethnically various membership within the Falkirk space. We’ve got embraced this with Muslim and Hindu occasions that includes closely in our calendar of actions. Nineteen per cent of our grownup and junior members come from an ethnic minority background and can play a pivotal and management function in the way forward for BCH. We’re decided that our board of Trustees displays this, with 20% feminine and 20% coming from ethnic backgrounds.
“We would like a spot the place the local people really feel they belong, are protected, revered and see themselves having a future in.”
The total particulars of the raffle, together with the acquisition of tickets, could be discovered at https://www.wrcc.org.uk/index.php/occasions/raffle
Extra data on Falkirk Distillery could be discovered at https://www.falkirkdistillery.com
