Cricket club onto a great run with completion of new pavilion

After months of dedication, work on the new Heathcoat Cricket Club Pavilion is on the verge of completion at the National Trust estate, Knightshayes, near Tiverton.

All the volunteers who helped with the project are now eagerly awaiting the arrival of former England cricket captain, Mike Gatting, who will be adding final touches to the ground on Saturday 6 April.

Established in the 1920s by John Heathcoat Amory for his Tiverton factory workers, the Heathcoat Cricket Club has always had a strong association with Knightshayes and the local community.

Working closely with the Trust, the pavilion has been well constructed using many felled trees from the Knightshayes estate and blends harmoniously with the surrounding landscape. Damaged by disease and severe weather conditions, the trees have been brought back to life by this project, bringing joy and use to others.

The cricket club’s future looks incredibly bright. Not only will the new structure provide a much greater space for cricket players and their families, it will also provide a fine practical resource for the wider local community, a necessity for sustainable growth.

Interest has already been received from local societies and businesses, eager to use the venue for group meetings and staff outings, and the club has also recently forged a successful relationship with local primary schools, offering their facilities for after school activity. The pavilion will additionally be used by visitors to Knightshayes, opening possibilities for new and exciting events.

The club’s continued importance within the community is evident in the generous donations made by local residents and businesses and the host of volunteers willing to give up their time to make the project such a remarkable success.

The club Chairman, John Smith, is quick to acknowledge such wonderful support: "Tiverton people have really stood up and been counted and our community should be immensely proud of what they have achieved’.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
From grass cutting to fence painting, everyone is welcome to come and lend a hand on Saturday 6 April. Refreshments will be served at the bar.