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Richard Black reports:
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS OF RICHARD BLACK'S SPONSORED WALK IN AID OF THE CAMBRIDGE COURTS
Building the Future of Eton Fives in the new University of Cambridge Sports Centre and how YOU can help
As you may be aware, the Eton and Rugby Fives Courts in Portugal Place, Cambridge are now but a distant memory. The Fives and Rackets Association held the land on a 99-year lease which came to an end in 1986, and in 1992 the owners of the freehold repossessed the site to develop it for housing. Since then things have been challenging for Cambridge-based players of our sport, and the Cambridge University Eton Fives Club (CUEFC) has had to keep the game alive with just the one court at Magdalene College.
All that is now changing. The University of Cambridge is building a state-of-the-art multi-sports centre in West Cambridge and we are delighted to report that both Eton and Rugby Fives will have three courts each in this magnificent building. This 6,000m2 facility will also be home to a fitness suite, a multi-purpose hall for basketball, volleyball and badminton as well as facilities for a wealth of other sports including martial arts, table tennis and fencing.
The University of Cambridge’s fundraising target to realise the Eton Fives courts as part of the current Sports Centre building project was just over £400,000. Thanks to the enormous generosity of many lovers of the game, by Christmas the Eton Fives community had raised over half of this target. At this point, the Eton Fives Charitable Trust pledged to the University of Cambridge to provide the remainder of the funds required by the summer of 2013, and on that basis the University agreed to guarantee construction of the courts. The Eton Fives Charitable Trust is co-ordinating all the funds apart from donations made direct to the Cambridge Foundation. The Trust has already paid £80,000 of these funds, but we still have to raise some £70,000 by 30th June 2013 in order to fulfil the Trust’s pledge to the University.
How you can help
Please consider making a donation, large or small, to get us over the line. Every donation will make a difference.
If you are in contact with former Cambridge Eton Fives Players, please do alert them to this campaign or let Rodney Knight or Dale Vargas know where we can contact them. You can contact us by CLICKING HERE
We are planning some sponsored ‘playathons’ in the spring and early summer. These will make a contribution to our target, but will not be enough to enable us to reach our target on their own.
We are particularly grateful to Jonathan Asquith, whose significant contribution set us on the path to achieving our fundraising goal. We have also been generously supported by the Cambridge University Fives and Racquets Association and the Jesters Club.
Please help us to build a bright future for our sport and ensure that the funding for these wonderful new courts is in place by the 30th June 2013.
To make a donation, please make cheques payable to the Eton Fives Charitable Trust, and send them to Richard Black at the address below. To make a donation online, please utilise the University of Cambridge’s online giving page by CLICKING HERE. All funds given in this way will count towards our outstanding target.
If you can put us in contact with former Cambridge Eton Fives players or anyone else who could help with our fundraising campaign, please contact:
Rodney Knight, 01638 711274
Dale Vargas, 0208 423 9560
Richard Black, 01932 770325, 07715 179280 (mobile)
or email us by CLICKING HERE
Richard Black
Chairman
Eton Fives Charitable Trust
The White House
284 Staines Road East
Sunbury-on-Thames
Middlesex TW16 5AX