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LOOKING FOR A NEW GROUND?  CATUS CC BLAZE A NEW TRAIL.

Having learned that they would have to wait till next year before ECC Annual Support Funding would become available to help pay for a wicket, Catus CC took matters into their own hands.  France Cricket were delighted to receive the following from the club's president Alan Frank:

We now have our new wicket!
It is a 'Tom Graveney' as supplied by Dave Courtney at Huck Netts/Exclusive Leisure. We could not afford, without the discount, the 'NottsBaseD' wicket from Zec at NottsSport. Dave at Huck Netts was the other supplier that you recommended to me back in February.

Our Mairie has put up the loan for us to buy it. It's on municipal land and is therefore like the adjacent tennis courts and football pitch. Because of this it is insured by the Mairie and if we default on the loan (over 10 years), because the club disbands for example, then the pitch reverts to the Commune. The Commune then gives us a grant each year, as it does with the other clubs, which goes along way to paying off that year's loan repayment. So it's a great and risk free deal for us.

We are in a tourist area and our little town relies on this summer trade to boost the local economy. The mayor is pro British and for integration so it becomes a win win situation for everyone if he can boast a cricket pitch in the town. I'm sure other communes in France could adopt the same route for the same reasons, which could help the sport to develop.
The Mayor will open our pitch officially next Sunday with a fundraising meal and match. So all in all I'm hopeful we will be going from strength to strength!

When we asked for further details, Alan told us:

Our Maire said it was a 'normal' sort of arrangement to enable clubs to develop and get capital items that they couldn't otherwise afford. For example the Catus Tennis Club got their tennis court installed some years ago, financed by the commune in exactly the same way. If its good for tennis its good for cricket!

So maybe this sort of thing is already going on across France for other sports - but no-one has thought of doing it for cricket so far?

Well we Brits have got to contribute something other than just drinking the wine and consuming the cheese!

Most importantly our youngsters, who are French or English or both, can lead the way in integrating through a summer team sport.

Well there it is!  A welcome initiative with a handsome dividend, and an example for other clubs to follow.  Mike Gear, president of the South West Association of clubs, has played on the wicket, and reckons it is the best he has played on in France.  Bravo Catus, and good luck.