It has been an interesting and successful year – one where we have ticked off a major target from our Development Plan and have consolidated our playing status.
Cricket – we began 2024 seasons with one senior team and it was soon clear that the difficulties we were having to raise 11 players didn’t bode well for 2025. However, this has changed – due to our link up with BAC Preston, who approached us at the end of 2023 with a request to use our ground for their first team matches (as their home ground was out of commission). The players involved liked the set up at WFCC and this led to them migrating to us during the winter 2024-25 – to the extent that we now have two Saturday teams and a Sunday xI.
Our juniors were a big positive again in 2024 – with around 40 training each week (including Allstars) and this has led to us entering u9s & u13s in the Lancashire League Junior league. With the Sunday xl there is now a pathway for older juniors to experience senior cricket.
Croquet & Bowls – small shoots of developments were evident at the start of 2024 – Weds eve Croquet & some social bowling on Saturday afternoons… which must have encouraged the grounds team & BR in particular to see that the transformation work on the green has been fruitful. Similarly, we have had an increase in bowls members in 2025. A chance conversation with a Clayton Le Woods bowler – again involving a facility that was not up to playing standards – led to around 30 new members with the aim for them to fully transfer / play league games as WFSSC as soon as possible. This has also resulted in a Sports England Grant Application for £7,500 – subject to raising a similar amount via crowdfunding – which will be put to use improving access and facilities around the green.
Tennis – competed in Ribble Summer (mixed) and Autumn (mens /womens) leagues, and East Lancs Ladies & Winter league. The mens team won their division of the Ribble Autumn, the ladies finished 2nd in theirs but the Summer league team were relegated. In the e Lancs league the ladies finished 3rd in Div2 & the mixed team maintained their place in division 3 of the winter league having won promotion last year.
Unfortunately opportunities nearer to home & family commitments meant that our excellent L4 coach was unable to support us in 2024 & we struggled to find an alternative. Cartmel Coaching ran junior & beginner session over the summer but attendance was lower than hoped, even with a free 6 week offer funded by LTA via the E Lancs Tennis League. A second free 6 week offer was run by a local L2 coach and was oversubscribed, with several players taking up our winter tennis membership offer & rejoining this year. Unfortunately E Lancs are not able to repeat the funding offer this year but we can try for funding from other sources.
Coaching for 2025/26 will be provided by the same coach who ran the second free offer block last season – she is very enthusiastic & keen to work with the club to develop programmes & run events.
Members enjoyed plenty of opportunities for social tennis, the Saturday afternoon beginner/ novice sessions being particularly well supported & some fun tournaments. Thank you to all who played & supported throughout the season.
Fitness & Pilates – both continue to have committed groups who turn up weekly for there sessions – which are always challenging yet achievable thanks to the careful planning from our instructor.
It would be great to increase the number of activities – and we are always receptive to ideas – although our current group of organisers are working at capacity – so just a gentle plea for more assistants to take things forward – please note help would be provided to try to ensure success.
On a club level it is very pleasing to have taken the toilet block improvements over the line. They are now at modern standards. We also have a dedicated storeroom leading directly to the main room. Thanks should go to the National Lottery Community Fund (£20k) and the Bruce Wake Trust (£2.5k) for their contributions with the remainder of the cost coming from club funds. (Iro £20k)
Other significant investments from our funds in 2024-5 include
A new pavilion (£7.5k) – which doubles up as a home changing room for our cricketers and a useable space for things like tennis /bowls matches should the clubhouse be in use.
New Cooler for the bar (£1.5k)= no more frothing incidents when the lager gets too warm
Large TV – which sadly didn’t arrive in time for the Euro Final (tho’ we managed to come up with a solution) – but has since seen good use for eg during the Rugby Six Nations & has stimulated a new U3A Film group to form.
Investment in the track – (£2k) – the increased use of the club creates more use of the track = more potholes …
Highlights for the year include the 120 Year Celebration – which drew a good attendance and a great time was had by all & we should recognise & thank the volunteers who made this happen. Our annual Bonfire & Carol Singing events were again popular as are the monthly quizzes. Community links with School / PTFA continue to develop – Easter Bunny Hunt, Colour Run, Sports Day, Summer Fayre & Outdoor PE all happening this year. We have had exploratory conversations about the school using the club for indoor PE … makes good sense to us.
It is always interesting to review all the work done by the committee as preparation for this meeting by reading through the committed meeting minutes. The work of the committee is increasingly complex – much more so than meets the eye – for example, Safeguarding now takes up much time, both at meetings & other times – this wasn’t an agenda item until relatively recently.
Last year I referenced the work of our volunteers- they continue to be vital to our success – Bar / Grounds/ House teams who do the unseen tasks … but then the grass is trimmed, the loos are clean & the bar is stocked…. We must thank everyone and I encourage you to thank them personally. We are always looking for more helpers – to give a bit of time – even an hour to cover the bar during bookclub – every little helps.
I should also include the club committee in the list of volunteers and thank them for their work. Without it, we would not have made the progress that we see around us.
It should be noted that the committee always acts in what it feels to be in the best interests of the club. It seems that there may be some who don’t appreciate this and /or give the impression that big decisions are taken lightly. This is certainly not the case. Having an experienced group, who are all members of the local community, gives us a strong residue of knowledge on which to base decisions. As humans, we won’t get everything right – but if it is a complex issue, it will have been well considered.
The current group has been together now for a few years – which is a strength but also a weakness – so it is pleasing to see some signs of younger members starting to get invovled. There is still a vacancy for a club Secretary, so if anyone knows anyone… we’d be pleased to add to a our ranks. We can’t go on for ever.
In summary, I fell it has been a successful year – with the clubhouse developments as a highlight. However, this now puts the condition of the kitchen in to focus – so I suspect this may be the next project on the rank On the sporting front – and we are a sports and social club – things look quite promising so we can approach the year ahead with some confidence.
GG
May 2025