A SCHOOL is benefitting from an £80,000 investment from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) - in the hope of providing bespoke facilities for the wider community.

In the summer of 2018, building work began at The Ockendon Academy for a large sports hall featuring six courts, changing facilities and some office space.

The hall has now been specifically designed for cricket, badminton and basketball but will have other uses too throughout the academic year.

Now the ECB is providing financial support to the academy with £80,000 grant funding, allowing wider access to cricket while meeting the shortfall of bespoke facilities for surrounding clubs.

The Academy will now be able to promote cricket as one of its core sports due to the partnership.

Jo Rainey, head at The Ockendon Academy, said: “We are delighted and excited about our partnership with the England and Wales Cricket Board and Essex Cricket.

“This partnership will not only help encourage and support more people to take up cricket, but also give our students and community the chance to play in state-of-the-art indoor facilities.

“We would not have been able to do this without the support of the ECB.

“Cricket is a game anyone can play and get involved in and it is a fantastic way of bringing people together and playing sport, which helps towards them leading longer and healthier lives.”

Bruce Cruse, ECB head of participation, insisted that projects like this are crucial to the development of the game - and the future of cricket in the county.

He said: “Projects like this are a key part of our plans to grow the game, get a bat and ball in more hands and ensure that cricket is a sport that is accessible for everyone.

“The new sports hall at The Ockendon Academy will help ensure that students and the local community have the opportunity to play the game in a way and a time that suits them.”

The new sports hall, due for completion in the summer term of 2019, will add to the school's swimming pool, four court sports hall, fitness suite and large sports fields. All facilities are available for academy use and community use.