Knypersley Cricket Club is aiming to raise £10,000 after facing difficulties during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The cricket club says it has been "hit dramatically" by the pandemic, and has turned to crowdfunding to allow them to make vital repairs and maintenance at the club.

Biddulph Nub News reported in September how the club was forced to concede matches after one of its players tested positive for the virus.

Now the club has given itself 10 weeks - until 17th March - to reach its £10,000 target. If the target is reached in this time, Sport England will double the funds raised to £20,000.

Among other things, the funds would be used to:

- Get a new pitch mower at a cost of over £5,000

- Carry out maintenance to outdoor nets at a cost of approximately £3,000

- Carry out building maintenance including the Victorian pavilion at a cost of around £2,000

A spokesperson for the cricket club said: "The pandemic of 2020 has stopped not only the biggest part of our cricket games but almost as importantly prevented all the vital fundraising events taking place, meaning that funding to keep the club in existence has failed.

"We now find ourselves unable to fund vital maintenance, repairs to machines and upkeep of the buildings, pavilion and ground itself, not to mention the plan to purchase vital new machines to maintain the ground has had to be put on hold.

"We have found a way to make up some of the necessary funding through Crowdfunding. Allow us to explain.

"Crowdfunding is ideally designed to be the new sports club funding model – it's simple, the public, businesses and organisations can pledge money on-line to support a worthwhile club.

"The sports club sets a target for funding and a timescale, if the funding is reached within the timescale Sport England double the amount."

The fundraising has got off to a flying start, having raised over £6,400 at the time of writing, meaning the club are well over halfway towards their target with 59 days to go until the deadline.

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