The following letter was sent to all members:
Dear Member,
Welcome to the 2021 season – now that we have confirmation that organised sport can start from 29th March, all our planning over the winter months has proved worthwhile and everyone is looking forward to some fine weather and playing cricket! I am pleased to introduce myself as the club’s new chairman. I have big shoes to fill with Nigel Mountford retiring at the end of last season after 18 years in the role. We are delighted that he has agreed to stay on in the role of President and I look forward to a long and successful partnership with him for the benefit of the club and the community.
You should all receive a membership renewal email early in April and I encourage you to renew as soon as possible. It helps the team captains and managers enormously to have early indications of likely player availability. We didn’t charge any membership fees last year and have agreed to keep this year’s subscriptions at the same level as 2019 (unchanged for more than 5 years).
The club committee has been working hard over the Winter to prepare for the 2021. Here is a brief update for your information:
We are officially opening up for the season on Friday 16th April (subject to any changes in government or ECB guidance) with our usual Club Night. Please make a date in your diary and come and join us for an outside, members-only drink from 6pm.
We have entered 4 Senior teams into the Saturday leagues and a team into the Ladies league (playing on Sundays). We have 8 Colts teams from U10s to U19s who will play in South Devon league competitions as well as the ECB U13 and U15 Competitions. All matches start at the beginning of May and with so many teams our ground has a very full schedule! We are also pleased to be hosting the annual South Dartmoor Academy vs MCC match.
Thanks to sterling work through the Winter by the Grounds team, the square and the outfield are really well prepared (supported by the football club who have helped repair their pitch).
We have secured a generous donation from the Alms House Trust which means we hope to start work on the Phase 2 Extension (Ladies changing room, improved disabled facilities and new storage areas) as soon as possible.
The BTCC website is under-going a face lift so that it becomes a “one stop shop” for all club information including direct links to all fixtures and results on Play-Cricket, membership information, links to our social media pages and a new history archive. Watch out for Captains Blogs on the website and more match reports this year! If you have any suggestions for content please email either ash-causey@hotmail.co.uk or oliverbriddock@gmail.com
We have organised new kit for those who need it available on-line from Devon County Sports
Friendly matches start on 10th April and captains will be in touch shortly to pull together availability – all fixtures can be accessed on Play Cricket via the club website.
As a club we are very fortunate to have an enthusiastic committee alongside committed and capable Senior Team Captains and Colts team managers, but we always have room for any members and parents who are willing to help out. Ask at the bar on a Friday night to point out a committee member and we will be pleased to explore with you any ways you can get involved.
Keep an eye on the website for any updates as the season approaches and keep fingers crossed for sunshine and warm weather. After so long in lockdown, how great will it be for the adults and colts to get out playing cricket again?!
Best wishes,
Andy Bishop
BTCC Chairman
