The following press release has been prepared and will appear in several local publications in the next few weeks…
Press release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more details about the project, and photos, please contact Simon Charrington on 07917017453
Ember Croquet club is celebrating, and busily preparing, after being awarded £1,698 of National Lottery funding from Sport England to help people who have been unable play croquet over the last twelve (Covid) months through shielding, self-isolation, key worker status, or through national lockdowns, to return to playing or to try the game for the first time.
The grant is enabling Ember croquet club to enhance its facilities for safe social interaction and playing of the game. As well purchasing additional playing equipment and materials for improving safety, signage and for marketing, the club is adding: a gazebo for socially-distanced outdoor shelter – rain or ‘shine; a hot water urn for providing hot drinks and hot water for cleaning / washing; and new treatments and equipment for lawncare, to enable a good consistent playing surface and maximizing the availability of the courts.
Free instruction / taster sessions for players who are new to the game is available by arrangement.
EMBER CROQUET CLUB maintains two croquets lawns, a full sized 35yd x 28yd lawn and a smaller 20yd x 16yd lawn, plus a croquet pavilion and maintenance sheds. New members are offered all necessary playing equipment, instruction to get started and coaching to develop their skills. The croquet club holds regular roll-up sessions, socials, and internal competitions in the main summer season. The club plays the two main formats of the game, that is GC (Golf Croquet – a quicker form which takes around 45 minutes per game) and AC (Association Croquet – a longer form of the game, typically taking one and a half hours or more), both singles and doubles. Other variations such as ‘One Ball’ and ‘Two Ball match play’ are also played. Toilet and washroom facilities are available in the main Ember sports clubhouse.
Simon Charrington, chairman of Ember Croquet Club, is thrilled to have been awarded the funding:
“We are delighted to have secured this investment which means we can add extra safety features to our facilities to encourage the playing of croquet. Croquet is an excellent and most enjoyable pastime, good for physical health and activity as well as for mental well-being, meeting new people or, simply, playing with friends. Thank you to everyone who plays the National Lottery, we wouldn’t be able to do this without you.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
For more details about the project, and photos, please contact Simon Charrington on 07917017453.
About Ember Croquet Club
Ember Croquet Club, a section of Ember Sports Club in Weston Green, and the only Croquet Association registered club in Elmbridge – is tucked away off Ember Lane, Grove Way (KT10 8HL) and The Drive (KT10 8DH), a five-minute walk from Esher railway station. The club offers participation in the fun sport of croquet, outdoors in beautiful surroundings, providing beneficial forms of physical exercise, mental stimulation, and social interaction. Players comprise both men and women, youth, and experience. Play is on equal terms and there is a comprehensive handicapping system based on recorded results so that ‘anyone can play anyone’ and have good, competitive, and fun games. One of the Ember members is a qualified croquet coach and referee. Ember won the South East Croquet Federation ‘B’ League in 2019, prevailing from eleven competitor clubs, and remains the current holder.
All the lawn care, equipment and facilities’ maintenance and administration and management are carried out by volunteer members of the club. Bookings are made via the members’ online booking system.
Ember Croquet Club is a section of Ember Sports Club which also boasts Tennis, Bowls and Drama Sections and a shared clubhouse with bar, hall, kitchen facilities, dressing rooms and a committee room.
The club welcomes enquiries about introductory taster sessions as well as applications for membership. Visit our website for more information Croquet (embersportsclub.org.uk) and follow us on social media Ember Croquet Club (@ember_croquet_club) • Instagram photos and videos Ember Sports Club | Facebook
About National Lottery
National Lottery players raise £30m every week for good causes, funding arts, heritage, sports, voluntary and charity projects around the UK. For more information on good causes in your area go to www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk
About Sport England
Sport England is a public body and invests up to £300 million National Lottery and government money each year in projects and programmes that help people get active and play sport.
It wants everyone in England, regardless of age, background, or level of ability, to feel able to engage in sport and physical activity. That’s why a lot of its work is specifically focused on helping people who do no, or very little, physical activity and groups who are typically less active – like women, disabled people and people on lower incomes.
