Goodrich celebrations not dampened by poor weather (From Hereford Times)

Goodrich celebrations not dampened by poor weather

4:46pm Friday 10th July 2009 in

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ON a day of celebration at Goodrich, not even the disappointing weather could dampen the high spirits of a large gathering.

Members, friends, supporters and past-and-present opponents gathered last Sunday to mark the centenary of the Goodrich Cup.

But, as well as 100 years of the famous trophy, the occasion marked the opening of the club’s new pavilion.

Anyone visiting the ground for the first time in five years would struggle to recognise their surroundings as the new building and the hard work done to extend the playing area has transformed a typical village ground into one of the finest in the county.

The project began under the auspices of the club’s late chairman Royston Young, whose name the new pavilion bears.

The baton was taken up by Young’s successor Richard Hope who, aided by many club members and supporters within the community, has been a driving force as the immense task of re-vamping the South Herefordshire club’s ground was completed without seeking grants or other outside funding.

The new pavilion was opened, appropriately, by Royston Young’s widow, Pam, while, among the gathering was Goodrich President Eric Winchester whose association with the club stretches back to 1952.

Secretary Mike Evans, whose own involvement at Goodrich amounts to well over 40 years, was the day’s master of ceremonies and conducted an auction which provided a boost for club funds.

In between the showers, on the pitch, a match to inaugurate the new facilities, between a club side and a Chairman’s Xl took place.

The club side posted 146-7 from their 30 overs, James O’Brien compiling a half-century.

But the Chairman’s side were left 53 runs short of their target with eight overs left when the rain intervened for the final time.