The Downham Town Cricket Club is one of the oldest clubs, if not the oldest club within the town, dating back as far as 1783. The club is also very successful; the 1st X1 having been the county Premier Alliance League champions for four out of the last five years… The Club has just as of recent secured £21,466 of Olympic legacy funding from Sport England’s Inspired Facilities Fund.
The Inspired Facilities fund is part of the £135 million Places People Play legacy programme that is bringing the magic of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games into communities across the country. Every sports facility that receives funding will carry the London 2012 Inspire mark – celebrating the link to the Games.
A new, two-lane all weather coaching and practice area will replace the ageing facilities which have been in need of attention. This will provide club members, budding young cricketers, and the community with increased access to first class cricket facilities in the local and surrounding areas.
Sport England’s Chair, Richard Lewis, said: “This fund has really hit the mark with sports clubs in the East of England. It shows we’re offering the legacy that people want for their local community. For hundreds of clubs and tens of thousands of people, 2012 will be the year their local sports facilities got better.” Don Rowell, President of Downham Town Cricket Club said: “We are delighted to secure the Inspired Facilities grant, which will enable the club to upgrade its facilities to match the level of cricket played at the Memorial Playing Field, and the level of coaching we have for our young cricketers. It is the cornerstone of our strategy to have an outstanding club for the 2012 Olympics’ legacy. We are also grateful for the support we have received from the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk.”
Borough Council Cabinet Member Cllr Elizabeth Nockolds said: “This is excellent news for the club. We have already provided some funding and helped them with their grant application, so it’s really pleasing that they’ve been successful and will now be able to improve their facilities and continue the strong tradition of playing cricket in Downham Market”.
The project is one of 350 local community sports groups who have been offered a total of £17.4 million in Olympic legacy funding through the Inspired Facilities Fund.
The investments announced today will breathe new life into tired facilities that can be unattractive to sports participants, difficult to maintain and run. Grants have also been offered to convert existing buildings into venues that are suitable for grassroots sport and to allow local clubs to buy the facilities they use. 
The Downham Town Cricket Club in action!
