Colchester cricket club aims to become 'greenest' in Essex

Eight Ash Green Cricket Club, in Spring Lane, missed out on a much hoped-for promotion this year after the pitch was flooded for the first six weeks of the season. 

Club carbon champion Richard Parker, who has been a member for 50 years, says it needs to adapt to climate change if it wants to continue to thrive in the future. 

In October, a national campaign was launched where sports stars highlight the impact of flooding and climate change on clubs, which Richard supports 

Milestone - England’s Reece Topley (centre) helps Eight Ash Green celebrate becoming the world’s first carbon balanced cricket club, in 2014. He is pictured with the club’s Ollie Stovell (left) and Luke Keeble in 2021

He also launched a crowdfunding campaign for £10,000, which finally raised £15,000. 

Fund matching brought the total to £30,000, which will now be invested in the club to make it more sustainable and ‘greener’. 

The changes will include better drainage, solar panels, battery storage and a system to store waste water which can be used to water the pitch during dry weather. 

Richard said: “The season normally starts in mid April but this year the outfield was flooded until the end of May, and we played our first home game in June. 

“By that time, the first team had had a wasted season. It cost the club not only points but also money, because we didn’t get match fees and bar revenue, and we had to hire other grounds to try to play some matches. 

“We used to stop cutting the outfield in July, but in the last few years we’ve had to cut right through the summer because it has been so warm and wet.” 

The club has already achieved being ‘carbon balanced’ by offsetting its energy use by investing in wildlife projects in the UK and overseas. 

It is now aiming to become ‘carbon neutral’ by 2030. 

Richard says cricket is the pitch sport most affected by climate change.

“It’s very sensitive to the weather being too wet, and it’s also affected by extreme heat," he said.

"As a club, we have to be seen to be doing something about that if we are to continue to be at the leading edge of change.”