IPPLEPEN Cricket Club has launched an ambitious fundraising project to raise £5,000 to fund renovation of their practice facilities.

Ipplepen has embarked on a CrowdFunder campaign aimed at raising enough cash to make serious improvements to the facilities at Moor Road.

In recent years, a combination of bad weather and wear and tear have taken their toll on the outdoor nets, which are now suffering from bent poles, uneven bounce and netting with large holes.

“All of this makes purposeful practice in the nets at best difficult and at worst dangerous” said head coach Chris Partridge.

“The club's bowling machine is now older than most of the 1st XI and is also in need of replacement.

“The acquisition of a mobile batting cage would allow for additional grass wicket practice to help prepare junior and senior players for matches.

"Over the past few years it has become harder and harder to run useful training sessions for our players as the facilities and equipment just aren't up to the job.

“We have done our best to repair the nets and keep things usable with small grants and contributions from membership fees, but the project now needs a much greater scale of funding and therefore we are launching this campaign."

The cost of materials, equipment and labour is more than £5,000. The only way to get work completed in time for the start of the season is to run a fund-raising campaign during February.

Donors can give as much or as little as they wish, but there are rewards for certain levels of donation, including certification of donation for those giving £20 and private one-to-one coaching sessions for those giving £100.

Corporate donors are also welcome with various options available for businesses wishing to make a contribution to the fund-raising drive.

Anyone interested in supporting the project can contact Partridge on 07887 513 800. The club has created a CrowdFunder campaign web page at http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ipplepen-cc-practice-facilities/