Hilly Fields to get investment in new cricket pitch

A project that I know has been in the pipeline for a few years now, to restore the cricket pitch on Hilly Fields, is finally set to come to fruition, with the announcement this week that funding totalling £600,000 has been secured from the Big Lottery, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the London Marathon Charitable Trust to regenerate the pitches both at Hilly Fields and in Mayow Park (Sydenham).

Congratulations are due to Peter Rankin from local social enterprise Envirowork Lewisham, who has played a key role in driving this project forward, together with Teachsport and officers from Lewisham's parks department. Former England cricket captain Mike Gatting has been involved and supportive of the project and has visited the site in Hilly Fields.

The pitch will be on part of the flat bit by Francis Drake Bowling Club, alongside Hilly Fields Crescent. I believe this is where a cricket pitch was originally located in the park, many years back.

This is great news, along with the new playground which should be going ahead shortly too.

Now, all we need to do is find some lovely grant-giving organisations to foot the bill for resurfacing the footpaths on Hilly Fields (six figure sum required) and we'll be sorted! (Easier said than done, I fear!)