27/11/12
Firms urged to bat for Teston Cricket Club's pavilion appeal
Derek Underwood, colts
captain Louis Skinner, 11, and Don Newick, 80, ex-player and
employee of Alfred Reader
by business editor Trevor Sturgess
Businesses have been invited to go into bat for a cricket club
in a village at the heart of the game for 200 years.
Teston Cricket Club, founded in 1895 - nearly a century after
Alfred Reader set up his iconic cricket and hockey ball factory in
the village - has launched a £30,000 appeal for a new pavilion.
It will replace the former temporary school classroom, which has
been the club's pavilion for 30 years and is now well past its
sell-by date.
The new pavilion will cost £80,000, but club chiefs are
confident of winning grants to complete the project.
They have received a message of support from Kookaburra, the
firm that took over the Reader brand but maintains the distinctive
Kent Invicta symbol and Teston name on every Readers ball.
Firms are being invited to sponsor boundary banners at £300 a
time and become official club sponsors.
England and Kent legend Derek Underwood was guest of honour at
the launch.
He said: "This is part of our history, part of our tradition,
the game of cricket has been played in Teston since 1895 and we
have to protect that.
"A pavilion is a social area, and vitally important. It will
attract new members, new youngsters and the development of the game
will be assured."
Club chairman Keith Jarrett said the launch marked a milestone
in the club's history. If the fundraising target is reached, the
new pavilion is due to open for the 2014 season.