A town’s cricket club’s 132-year run is at risk of ending.

Uplyme and Lyme Regis Cricket Club (ULRCC) has launched a crucial fundraising campaign to ensure that cricket can continue for the community.

Currently, the club faces possible closure at the end of the 2018 season - which would not only lead to the loss of club cricket, but also outreach activities for young people in the two communities and an end to the maintenance of the KG5 Field, which the club currently maintains.

A statement released by the club says: ‘Financial pressure facing the club is not recent, but has developed over many years, in a bizarre set of circumstances centring around the history of the ground and works completed by the club.

‘In December 1938, KG5 Ground ownership was transferred from Uplyme Cricket and Tennis Club to the National Playing Fields Association, to be used in perpetuity as a cricket field and recreation ground.

‘National Playing Fields Association interest subsequently transferred to Fields in Trust, with KG5 trustees managing trustees, under charitable objectives reflecting the covenant from the 1938 conveyance.

‘In the 1980’s the cricket club embarked on a major fund-raising effort with celebrity visits, a cricket festival and even a snooker exhibition in the old cinema in Lyme Regis.

‘All looked rosy, but sadly the fantastic fundraising which financed and built the cricket pavilion, lies at the core of the current problems. Members financed and built the pavilion via an undocumented ‘gentleman’s agreement’, on land owned by the Fields in Trust.

‘The result is that the pavilion is actually owned by Fields in Trust.

‘ULRCC has no security of tenure over either the pavilion it built, nor the large ground it maintains so well for the whole village.

“This lack of secure tenure further means that the club is neither able to secure grant funding available to other amateur, not-for-profit sports clubs, nor earn revenue income from other users, to contribute toward ground maintenance, which the cricket club completes.

‘Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, a lack of investment into the pavilion and cricket ground, other than by the club itself, for at least the last eight years, has restricted the club’s ability to finance a sustainable future for the use of the KG5 ground as a cricket field and recreational ground, on anything other than a precarious, shoestring budget.

‘Inevitably, in Autumn 2017, our roller, essential to cricket, finally expired after 30 years of service.

‘Following an expenditure by the club of £1500 the previous winter, to ensure electrical facilities in the pavilion were safe, depleted the reserves, which meant the club could neither afford a new roller, nor any suitable used model.

‘The only option, to allow the 2018 season to start, was ‘rent to buy’, where £2900 was paid to rent the roller for the season, totally draining the club’s reserves.

‘Further funds have been raised, but a purchase balance of £4300 remains due early September, without which the roller will be returned.’

The club has invited everyone in the Uplyme and Lyme Regis communities interested in the future of local cricket to join the club on Monday, June 25, at 7pm.

The club has invited financial support from the local government, club members, supporters, sponsors, schools and cricket lovers in both communities, who benefit from the KG5 field or value the outreach work of the club with local primary schools in Uplyme, Lyme Regis and Charmouth.

ULRCC and KG5 trustees have agreed ‘in principle’ a long-lease of the pavilion and the immediate surrounding area for the club to use.

Raising £4300 will settle the outstanding roller balance and allow time for structural changes to the club and its governance to be completed.

After this, the club will be able to develop a sustainable business plan for the future of cricket in the area.

A crowdfunding page will soon be set up to accept donations.

To make a donation, visit crowdfunder.co.uk/paul-messer-memorial-roller or email secretary@ulrcc.co.uk