A borehole and irrigation project (supported by our Community Climate Action Fund) has provided more than 1,350,000 litres of water over the last two years to help keep a cricket square, football training area, allotments and a community orchard in Grayshott watered.
Grayshott Cricket Club started the project with the aim to provide enough water to keep their cricket square healthy, using borehole extraction of groundwater and a linked irrigation system, to ensure that the pitches could be watered independent of domestic water supply and also reducing valuable volunteer time.
They were awarded £7,500 towards the project through the first round of the Community Climate Action Fund in March 2023.
The project was completed in April 2024 and since then has provided more than 1,350,000 litres of water.
Following their grant application, the Grayshott Parish Council approached the cricket club to see if they could use the project to provide water to 45 allotment plots and Grayshott’s Community Orchard. The project was completed including all these areas.
Graham Sampson, Youth Manager, who managed the project on behalf of Grayshott Cricket Club, said:
“For a village cricket club this was a huge project, but the benefits were for all to see this hot summer.
“Our sprinklers were in use every week ensuring our square was fit to play, considerably reducing the demand on the water domestic supply and the time of our valuable volunteers.”
Councillor Robert Mocatta, portfolio holder for Regeneration and Prosperity (which includes climate and environment) at East Hampshire District Council, said:
“This innovative climate mitigation scheme is making a big difference in the local area, and it’s great to hear that it has been possible to expand it so more community groups can benefit.
“Climate change makes extremes of weather, including drought, more likely. Mitigation schemes like this, which take pressure off drinking water supplies, can be used to help us adapt to our changing climate.”
The CCAF is currently open for applications for grants of up to £20,000 for climate-related projects. It will close at noon on Monday 13 October 2025.