The HWRCC Committee is devastated to inform you that overnight on 6 September, there was a catastrophic fire in the pavilion. This photo appears to indicate it has been completely destroyed.
We are coordinating our response with the police and fire services to determine next steps.
The building is insured so we will contact the insurance company as soon as possible.
We will communicate further information as soon as we have it.
The HWRCC Committee
Paige Goodwin made club history in Round 11 of Saturday league games – becoming the first female to skipper a men’s or mixed Wick XI.
And she capped it off by leading the 6th XI to a comfortable 64-run win over Ashford.
Paige said: “Hampton Wick has been incredibly supportive and forward thinking when it comes to girls’ and women’s cricket.
“Playing men’s cricket has helped me improve my game immensely and learn new techniques and tactics, allowing me to not only take my personal skills further, but also adapt my coaching style.
“Mentoring the U11 girls at Hampton Wick has been the highlight of my season this year, and I can’t wait to continue playing and coaching at the Wick next year. UTW!”
Paige has been playing senior “men’s” cricket since 2018 when she was just 14-years-old.
She has also represented NPL, Twickenham, HWRCC at U17 level, and Bushy Park Girls for the last nine years.
And if all that wasn’t enough – Paige has also played for Middlesex U13s and U15s, and for Hertfordshire U15s.
And keen to promote cricket, and crucially girls’ women’s cricket, Paige is a qualified All Stars and Dynamos coach, and in October she became a Level 2, ECB core coach specialising in coaching the differences between girls’ and boys’ cricket.
Hampton Wick Royal’s U11 girls have won the Surrey League – in their debut season in the competition.
Another fine performance saw them seal the title with a narrow victory over Spencer, in a great advert for junior cricket.
Led by James Watson, the girls finished more than 13 points ahead of their nearest rivals in the U10-11 Tier Two North West league.
They won eight of their 10 games in an incredible first season in hardball league cricket.
Read more:
Exciting time for girls’ cricket at The Wick
Team manager and coach Watson said: “What a story! A state school girls’ team, from a disadvantaged area, beating premier clubs from across Surrey.
“What a journey these children have been on! A great example of a couple of the recommendations in the ICEC report.
“Thank you so much to Hampton Wick Royal Cricket Club for giving these girls a chance. A real forward-thinking club.”
Read more:
A message from the Chairman
“Not only have these girls improved their cricketing skills immeasurably, but through this great game we have seen a rise in their self-confidence, self-esteem, resilience, team work and personal development.”
We can’t wait to see what the future holds for girls’ and women’s cricket at the Wick.
It has been a bruising week for cricket. But one that we can hopefully look back on as being a watershed moment.
And at HWRCC, we will not rest until we create a fully-inclusive and representative cricket club that is at the heart of our community and example to all others in the game.
In 2021 Hampton Wick Royal Cricket Club adopted its Community and People Plan – with the aim to “be at the heart of the communities and people of Hampton Wick, and to become the most inclusive sports club in London”.
A bold ambition – but one we are determined to achieve.
On Wednesday, Abid Ikram and Jack LeFeuvre spoke to Nick Godwin on BBC Radio London’s Sport Show to discuss the ICEC report.
This approach came off the back of our event last year to highlight our opposition to all forms of racial discrimination.
Abid was asked if clubs like The Wick really needed to be told of the issues.
“The report is really important – but what’s really important is for actions to be taken off the back of it.
“Words are cheap. What must come out of this is actions across all levels of cricket.”
And while we are working hard… there is no chance we will be resting until we reach our aims.
JLF told Nick Godwin: “We recognise as a club we’re far from perfect.
“We have plenty to do in terms of improving to become as fully inclusive as we can be.”
Sahil Kher of Acton CC was also part of the discussion.
“The problems are real and cricket, as well as cricket administrators, need to take a long hard look at how they want to drive change.”
Wick chairman Sam Kemp – commenting after the release of the report – said: “We restate our commitment to be a club truly inclusive and open to all, with renewed vigour.
“We also recognise we have much work still to do in many areas that the Report covers.”
This is a bittersweet week for cricket. Both the Men’s and Women’s Ashes series have burst into life, but now threaten to be overshadowed by the report published earlier this week by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC).
The ICEC Report (“the Report”) highlights what we must all do to make our great game a game for everyone. The Report is about as damning as one could imagine. It confirms that significant change is needed, and it is needed now.
In 2021 Hampton Wick Royal Cricket Club adopted its Community and People Plan. It aspires for ‘The Wick to be at the heart of the communities and people of Hampton Wick, and to become the most inclusive sports club in London’.
It contains many objectives which were also outlined in the findings and recommendations of the Report. Today, we restate our commitment to be a club truly inclusive and open to all, with renewed vigour. We also recognise we have much work still to do in many areas that the Report covers.
The club’s Main Committee will digest, reflect and act on the Report’s findings in the coming weeks, months and years. The Community and People Plan is being worked through, and this Report will bring fresh impetus and ideas to this process.
Your views and actions matter so if anyone wants to help, feels inspired, or has any ideas please do get in touch with us. The Wick is what its members are, and what they make if it. If ever we as a community needed to work together as one, it is now.
Sometimes the stars align – and when they do, you must grab the opportunity with both hands.
And Hampton Wick Royal Cricket Club’s newly-formed girls team shows we’ve done just that.
A 2022 Wisden Magazine article took an in-depth look at a local school – Heathfield Primary – and the great work James Watson had done to bring cricket into PE lessons and after-school sport sessions.
HWRCC Chairman Sam Kemp said: “The gist of the piece was James was doing a great job but the kids, particularly the girls, needed access to club cricket to broaden their opportunities to play the game competitively.”
Now, let’s be honest – cricket committees are not well known for their rapid decision-making.
But in just a few short months, HWRCC has welcomed Heathfield girls en masse to the Wick as members.
Not only that – they are winning!
During the winter, OUR girls’ side beat Teddington, East Molesey, Churt and Pyrford in the Surrey under-11 Smash indoor events.
And 12 of Heathfield’s girls have been invited on the Middlesex Area pathway programme.
The girls will be representing the Wick in both Surrey and Middlesex leagues this summer and will also play in the season-opening *Surrey “Smash It” Festival – which is being hosted at HWRCC.
‘The girls had never even picked up a bat or ball’
Not bad – especially when you consider James and Callum Donnelly only introduced them to the game at the tail-end of the Covid pandemic.
“It seemed the obvious game to play really with all the social distancing rules, but the girls had never even picked up a bat or a ball,” James said.
“And they’ve loved it. It’s a real social thing for them.
“They can play a competitive sport with their mates and it’s great to see the effect it’s having on them all.
“Some of these kids would find it really hard to join a local club as individuals… because of their backgrounds, they feel they would not fit in.
‘Hampton Wick is a shining light to other clubs’
“But Hampton Wick has given them the chance to represent a club together – and I can’t thank them enough.
“Hampton Wick is a shining light to other cricket clubs, and what they can do to promote our game and at the same time help kids in more deprived communities.
“There’s so much talent out there – it’s about making sure that everyone has the same opportunities to fulfil theirs.”
‘It’s an exciting time for girls’ cricket at The Wick’
*The Surrey “Smash It” Festival is open to all Surrey girls cricket club teams from U7 – U13 and The Wick will be hosting the event in partnership with the Surrey Cricket Foundation.
HWRCC is hosting the event on Sunday, April 30. Come along and see for yourselves the quality and enthusiasm of our U11 girls’ squad.
Sam added: “This is an exciting time for girls’ cricket at The Wick and none of it would have been possible without the unerring support of James and Callum.”
Our very own Jack Le Feuvre is taking on the London Marathon on Sunday, April 23.
This is a spectacular effort from JLF, both physically, emotionally, and financially. He’s ‘speeding’ his way around the streets of London to raise money for Marie Curie.
“My lovely Granny was in a Marie Curie hospice in the final months of her life and received nothing but fantastic care from very kind and caring nurses who made her last months as comfortable as possible,” Jack tells us.
“This kindness was always shown to us when we would come to visit and the nurses couldn’t do enough to provide support for us at a very difficult time.”
We wish Jack the best of luck with his physical and fundraising efforts. And if you haven’t already… please sponsor him by clicking HERE.
Second XI skipper Ed ‘Boom Boom’ Charlton has been desperate to get to three figures for years!
Sadly that landmark remains elusive on the cricket pitch.
So, the self-proclaimed all rounder is hoping to get his ton on a bike instead.
On May 28, Ed will be taking part in the gruelling RideLondon event to raise cash for Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Please CLICK HERE to donate to this great charity.
