WITH the new season just around the corner Hetton Lyons Cricket Club has received a timely boost after it was announced they will be one of the first clubs to benefit from the Government's £9.4m Community Club Development Programme - monies which have been pledged to the ECB and are targeted at upgrading cricket club facilities.

The Community Club Development Programme is a funding package developed by Sport England and the Government to develop stronger links between the country's leading clubs and their local communities. The funds are then allocated to ECB to distribute to selected clubs.

Hetton Lyons Cricket Club was identified by the England and Wales Cricket Board as a club deserving support because of the strength of their junior cricket development programme.

The Club has benefited to the tune of £46,028 which has provided for an upgrade of the outfield and playing area.

The Club's treasurer, Trevor Walker, said: "We were elated when we heard we had been awarded a grant as we always had ambitions to level the outfield but never had the funds to undertake the project.

"The grading of the outfield has been completed and with the spring grass growth the playing conditions at the club will be greatly improved. The players very much appreciate the work done and everyone is looking forward to the coming season.

"We are really grateful to the ECB for their generous support because we could not afford the cost of the project from our own resources. We regard the grant as an investment in the cricket at the club for the future".

The interim Chief Executive of Sport England, Steve Baddeley, said: "We are delighted to make this award to Hetton Lyons Cricket Club. The facility is key to the local development of cricket.

"The Community Club Development Programme represents a new way of working for Sport England whereby national governing bodies are involved in the initial selection of possible projects that should receive funding based on their new strategic plans.

"This programme is an innovative way of helping to ensure that community clubs - the heart of grass roots sports development in the country - receive the capital investment they need," he added.

The £9.4m which has been allocated to cricket will be distributed to selected focus clubs, which all work towards the ECB's Agenda of increasing accessibility of cricket to wider sections of the community, particularly junior players.

Projects included in the scheme fall into three categories: (1) the upgrade of grass pitches, outfields and/or grass net facilities, (2) the installation of artificial pitches and/or net facilities, or (3) the upgrade of changing rooms and/or shower facilities.

David Leighton, ECB Club Development Manager said: "We were pledged the £9.4m last year and we are now starting to see the results of it.

"Around 180-200 clubs are likely to benefit from the scheme, which will make a significant impact on facilities at the chosen clubs. We hope the success of this scheme will lead to increased funding for cricket clubs via the government in the future."

In order to access funding, clubs have to have an ECB-approved 10 year development plan. For projects up to £50,000 clubs need to contribute a minimum of five per-cent of the total funding. For projects over £50,000, clubs must contribute a minimum of 50 per-cent of the total cost.

Projects will adhere to the ECB's desire to leave a lasting legacy at the club and will also conform to a government agenda to increase the members of five to 16-year-olds participating in the cricket club.