Ashton Cricket Club wins £24,000 grant to power community energy project

A long-standing Ashton-under-Lyne sports club has secured a £24,000 matched-funding grant to drive forward a major community energy initiative.

The Ashton-under-Lyne Cricket, Bowling & Tennis Club (ACB&TC) will use the funding to install solar panels at its historic ground, helping to cut carbon emissions, slash energy bills and reinvest those savings into grassroots sport and local activities.

The funding comes from British Gas’s Energy for Tomorrow social impact fund, delivered in partnership with Team GB and Paralympics GB. The programme supports local organisations with grants, crowdfunding support, mentoring and volunteers to help them reduce environmental impact and strengthen community benefits.

To unlock the grant, ACB&TC has launched a crowdfunding campaign that British Gas will match-fund, effectively quadrupling donations. The campaign not only raises vital funds but also aims to boost membership, attract new volunteers and deepen ties with the local community.

Olympic medallist Desiree Henry, a Team GB sprinter, is lending her voice to the club’s social media campaign to raise awareness of the project and highlight the benefits it will bring to Ashton-under-Lyne.

You can find out more about the campaign at: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/ashton-u-lyne-cbtc-going-green

Club President Martin Frost said the grant will be transformative: “We’re thrilled to receive this funding to kickstart our objective of ‘Going Green’ which will really benefit the local community. For 168 years our club has been at the heart of Ashton, and this support from Energy for Tomorrow means we can keep it that way for years to come.

“We need help from our members and the wider sporting community to raise £8,000 by the end of October. Energy for Tomorrow will then contribute £24,000 to allow us to move ahead with this vital project.

“Installing solar panels will not only help us reduce our environmental impact but also frees up vital funds that we can invest back into coaching, facilities and opportunities for our members and the local community.”

Founded in 1857, ACB&TC has long championed access to sport in Ashton-under-Lyne, and the committee says this sustainability push will help ensure the club’s facilities remain available for future generations.

Abi Robins, Director of Responsible Business at British Gas, said: “Ashton-under-Lyne Cricket Bowling & Tennis Club provides invaluable support to the community, and we’re so proud to give it our backing. We want to leave a lasting legacy in communities just like this club and help them future proof their site for the next generation to enjoy.

“This grant will help fund the installation of important technologies that will boost the club’s energy efficiency, helping them focus on where they are needed the most – their communities.”

Since its launch in 2007, the Energy for Tomorrow fund has awarded more than £6 million to over 50 grassroots projects across England, Scotland and Wales. The programme most recently pledged £1 million over four years to help community sports clubs embrace sustainable energy solutions and strengthen their social impact.