Anyone for croquet at Llanfairfechan?
The frequently-heard cry on the West Shore at Llanfairfechan, North Wales, is, ‘Anyone for croquet?’
And it’s an invitation being delivered with some extra volume now that the Llanfairfechan and North Wales Croquet Club has officially opened its new clubhouse.
“We want to make sure as many people as possible know that there is an opportunity to take part in croquet in North Wales,” club chairman Jack Pattenden said during a grand opening attended by civic dignitaries and officials from the sport’s UK governing body.
The new clubhouse in Llanfairfechan has sprung up next to the manicured lawns at West Shore thanks to a grant of £93,187 from CFAP – the Welsh Assembly Government’s Community Facilities and Activities Programme.
Mr Pattenden said: “Our members played their part in fund-raising and we raised cash through other sources, but the bulk of the sum came from the Welsh Assembly Government.
“And we are very proud of the fact that they have recognised what is, after all, a fledgling and developing sport in North Wales.
“We are also pleased that the Welsh Assembly Government appreciate that in addition to our work as a croquet club we do play an important role as a community centre venue for the people of Llanfairfechan.”
The opening ceremony – conducted by Conwy County Borough Council chairman Councillor Glyn Jones – attracted the attention of TV cameras from BBC and HTV and radio presenters from Radio Wales and Radio Cymru.
“We really feel like stars for the day,” Mr Pattenden said at the ceremony. “And it’s put everything into context to show how far the club has come since its early beginnings.”
The club was founded in 1990 by the late Clive Llewellyn, whose widow Georgina now acts as club secretary.
“We played croquet when we were away on holidays one year,” Mrs Llewellyn recalled.
“We had such great fun that Clive thought it would be nice to start a club back home.
“We scouted around for land and eventually found this site, which was a bit of a dumping ground for waste material from the construction of the nearby A55.
“Gradually, it has been turned into a smashing venue for a club which grew from an original 12 members to 65 in the space of five years.
“Today, the club continues to attract new members and we have been delighted to receive The Croquet Association’s prestigious Townsend Award for developing clubs not once, but twice. And that’s quite an achievement.”
Mrs Llewellyn said the club was one of only three in Wales, the others being the Dyffryn Club in Cardiff and a recently-formed club in Barmouth.
“We currently play in the North West Short Croquet league and there are also matches involving another form of the game, Golf Croquet.”
“It really is a game for everyone. All you really need are sensible flat shoes and you are away to go.”
Mr Pattenden added: “Now that we have our new clubhouse, the plan is to make as much use of it as possible.
“We already work closely with children and young adults with special needs and the centres for adult continuing education. Local community groups are also very much involved in what we do here in Llanfairfechan.
“This is a club for everyone and we are determined to make sure it as an asset for the community of Llanfairfechan.”
Community Facilities and Activities Programme is a grant scheme operated by the Welsh Assembly Government to help community or voluntary organisations provide facilities or carry out activities which will promote the regeneration of communities. Since its launch in 2002 CFAP has proved to be a highly successful grant programme. A total of £64 million has been awarded to 660 projects across the length and breadth of Wales.
Projects have included the refurbishment of church and village halls, work to make community properties accessible to the disabled, buying part of a former airfield for community use and restoring historic buildings for community use.
The CFAP is run from The Welsh Assembly Government’s Merthyr Tydfil office - Communities Facilities and Activities Programme (CFAP), Communities Directorate, Welsh Assembly Government, Merthyr Tydfil Office, Rhydycar, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 1UZ
Weblink:
http://llanfairfechan-croquet.iccommunities.co.uk/
Award-winners: Llanfairfechan and North Wales Croquet Club secretary Georgina Llewellyn and club chairman Jack Pattenden with the prestigious Townsend Award from The Croquet Association.
Press release issued by Robert Lloyd on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government.
And it’s an invitation being delivered with some extra volume now that the Llanfairfechan and North Wales Croquet Club has officially opened its new clubhouse.
“We want to make sure as many people as possible know that there is an opportunity to take part in croquet in North Wales,” club chairman Jack Pattenden said during a grand opening attended by civic dignitaries and officials from the sport’s UK governing body.
The new clubhouse in Llanfairfechan has sprung up next to the manicured lawns at West Shore thanks to a grant of £93,187 from CFAP – the Welsh Assembly Government’s Community Facilities and Activities Programme.
Mr Pattenden said: “Our members played their part in fund-raising and we raised cash through other sources, but the bulk of the sum came from the Welsh Assembly Government.
“And we are very proud of the fact that they have recognised what is, after all, a fledgling and developing sport in North Wales.
“We are also pleased that the Welsh Assembly Government appreciate that in addition to our work as a croquet club we do play an important role as a community centre venue for the people of Llanfairfechan.”
The opening ceremony – conducted by Conwy County Borough Council chairman Councillor Glyn Jones – attracted the attention of TV cameras from BBC and HTV and radio presenters from Radio Wales and Radio Cymru.
“We really feel like stars for the day,” Mr Pattenden said at the ceremony. “And it’s put everything into context to show how far the club has come since its early beginnings.”
The club was founded in 1990 by the late Clive Llewellyn, whose widow Georgina now acts as club secretary.
“We played croquet when we were away on holidays one year,” Mrs Llewellyn recalled.
“We had such great fun that Clive thought it would be nice to start a club back home.
“We scouted around for land and eventually found this site, which was a bit of a dumping ground for waste material from the construction of the nearby A55.
“Gradually, it has been turned into a smashing venue for a club which grew from an original 12 members to 65 in the space of five years.
“Today, the club continues to attract new members and we have been delighted to receive The Croquet Association’s prestigious Townsend Award for developing clubs not once, but twice. And that’s quite an achievement.”
Mrs Llewellyn said the club was one of only three in Wales, the others being the Dyffryn Club in Cardiff and a recently-formed club in Barmouth.
“We currently play in the North West Short Croquet league and there are also matches involving another form of the game, Golf Croquet.”
“It really is a game for everyone. All you really need are sensible flat shoes and you are away to go.”
Mr Pattenden added: “Now that we have our new clubhouse, the plan is to make as much use of it as possible.
“We already work closely with children and young adults with special needs and the centres for adult continuing education. Local community groups are also very much involved in what we do here in Llanfairfechan.
“This is a club for everyone and we are determined to make sure it as an asset for the community of Llanfairfechan.”
Community Facilities and Activities Programme is a grant scheme operated by the Welsh Assembly Government to help community or voluntary organisations provide facilities or carry out activities which will promote the regeneration of communities. Since its launch in 2002 CFAP has proved to be a highly successful grant programme. A total of £64 million has been awarded to 660 projects across the length and breadth of Wales.
Projects have included the refurbishment of church and village halls, work to make community properties accessible to the disabled, buying part of a former airfield for community use and restoring historic buildings for community use.
The CFAP is run from The Welsh Assembly Government’s Merthyr Tydfil office - Communities Facilities and Activities Programme (CFAP), Communities Directorate, Welsh Assembly Government, Merthyr Tydfil Office, Rhydycar, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 1UZ
Weblink:
http://llanfairfechan-croquet.iccommunities.co.uk/
Award-winners: Llanfairfechan and North Wales Croquet Club secretary Georgina Llewellyn and club chairman Jack Pattenden with the prestigious Townsend Award from The Croquet Association.
Press release issued by Robert Lloyd on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government.
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