CRICKET FORCE WEEKEND 2006

When the weekend came round I had managed to secure a fence to the value of £10,000 from Betafence UK this was not straight forward as I also needed to get a Fork lift truck as well this was provided by Jungheinrick these were all due to arrive on Sunday on Saturday we had nets to put up walls to paint Showers to install Double glazing to go in and to dig out a path and lay concrete for a new one. The day started around 7.30 am with the digging out of the path we soon realised we needed help so I went down to Brendan Ingles Boxing Gym and enlisted the help of four young boxers.These lads only 15 years old were fantastic they were a tremendous help and in no time had got the path dug out.I had been on Radio Sheffield telling all of Sheffield about our day and there were over 80 people turning up to help with one thing and another. These people would all require feeding so my next mission was to trawl the local chip shops to get sausage and chips donated for all our helpers this to was achieved from some great chippys.We then encounted our first problem we didnt have enough concrete to finish the path so we need sand concrete mix and gravel so Mick Bullass and his tiny granddaughter and myself are going to try and get enough concrete mix to finish the path.On the way Neil phoned me and says I need some 8 BY 2 quater board about 6 pannels I said I weill try to get them. So we went to B&Q in my car not knowing what 8 by 2 was then spoke to the duty manager who said everything we required was out the front of the shop. Whoops another problem this board was 8 foot by 2 foot and there were 6 of them we needed a flat back truck to remove them .I took Mick and his granddaughter back to the cricket club and the set off looking for a flat back truck on Shiregreen Housing Estate.Low and behold at a chip shop I saw the vehicle I needed and this young man queing in the chip shop for his dinner.I asked him if he minded comming to B&Q for our cricket club to pick up these much needed items he said to my astonishment he would come and so we got round that problem. Fantastic the genorosity of people when asked the question. Everthing else went really well that day and a lot was achieved.We left the cricket club at about 6pm to orepare for the next day.
Sunday April 9th

Today started at 7.30 am once again a load of volunteers arrive and guess what our boxers have returned to help they had such a good time yesterday they want to help out again. That is brillant the parents of these young boys and Brendan Ingle should be proud of them there is still so much painting to do ground work to do and the fence is arriving at about 11 am. Dave Leighton turned up with his team and had a shock as these people had brought about a marvellous transformation to the cricket club. He must of thought back to the meeting a week earlier that what was acheived would not be possible.
The fence duly arrived Sir Richard Caborn arrived as did Yorkshire Cricket Team and Sky tv oh yes I nearly forgot so did the snow. Who bloody ordered snow I thought,this did not dampen anyone spirits as what they had acheived was for all to see.The seed had been sewn by Cricket Force and by Dave Leighton and now ShiregreenCricket Club was up there where it belonged.
The pride I feel is nothing but the words echoing around the place is that Ben would of been proud.Ben being Ben Jessop a stalwart of the club who sadly died some 4 years ago this man was a legend and still is at Shiregreen and across South Yorkshire. Sense of achievement no I dont think so, anything is possible anything is achievable if you want it Ben Jessop gave his life to Shiregreen and I would of been Hounered to of met him alas this not possible but his memory at the club will live forever.These people have so much missed this mans influence they had become shadows of them selves but in every tunnel there is light and these people I believe have seen the light. The future at Shiregreen requires a lot of work and dedication it needs new people with new ideas to take the club forward.The future of the game is in the children and the parents to ensure cricket is played throughout the next generation.