Following a long and frustrating couple of years the new Cricket Ground floodlights were finally installed over the week-end of 24th and 25th September.

After many transport delays the lighting columns were delivered at Chester Road on Friday 23rd Sept. (the day before installation was scheduled to commence).

The work began on Saturday lunchtime after all involved had watched their lads have successful morning matches. The installation team comprised of :-

Mark Davies – Electrician – Father of Mason from Under 8’s
Martin Dudley – Electrician - Father of Luke from Under 8’s
Wayne Preece – Mini Digger Operator – Father of Ben from Under 8 Cubs
Darren Richards – Builder – Father of Tyler from Under 11’s
Nigel Pritchard – Referee between Electricians and Builders – Father of Nick & Matty from Under 11’s & 8’s.

All four columns were concreted in position by Saturday evening and work continued to go smoothly on Sunday until the last digger scoop of the job went through an underground water pipe. Wayne quickly managed to turn off the fountain pending repair by a plumber.

Following final electrical testing the lights were turned on at 9 o’clock on Sunday evening. Initially there were sighs of disappointment at the strength of illumination. What we did not realise was that the lights take a few minutes to warm up. Once fully lit it was time for sunglasses and a quick game of footy between the dads, before a well earned pint or two in the club.
In addition to the installation team who worked really hard throughout the week-end massive thanks also go out to :-
Tim Beadsworth (father of Tim from Under 9’s) who owns Express Tool Hire in Lisle Avenue. Tim supplied free of charge the Mini Digger and Scaffolding Tower both of which were invaluable. Mark Pearsal (father of Sam from Under 11 Cubs) who arranged for the design drawings to be generated.
Jim Tyler (Club Secretary and grandfather of Joe Donkin from Under 11’s) who patiently waited at the Cricket Ground for 3 days for the lighting columns to be delivered.
Hire-It for supplying free of charge the hole boring machine (Daz and Nige are still recovering from trying to hold it).
R. F. Amies for supplying free of charge copious amounts of sand, gravel and cement (Note for Daz – don’t take up quantity surveying as an occupation).
Brian Capewell for turning out on a Sunday afternoon to repair the broken water pipe.
Dave Page from Malvern Electrical Wholesale who advised on, and supplied the lighting at a discount price after being subjected to hours of grief from Nige.

Hopefully the lights will now provide a top class winter training facility for lion’s teams for many years to come. Thanks to everyone involved.