The club’s management accepting the award in Manchester

Newcastle Cricket Club’s volunteers and staff have won the Marketing Club of the Year category at the National Club Awards held in Manchester last week (Thursday 21st November).

The Jesmond-based club, which was also shortlisted for an architectural award for its new accessible entrance, saw off competition from different kinds of sporting clubs around the UK to claim their second award in 2013 after they scooped the CAMRA Tyneside Club of the Year accolade.

The highly contested award – claimed from previous holder BBC Club – seeks to recognise the team that runs the most impressive marketing and communication activities. “We’re thrilled to win an award that was competed for by clubs of all kinds around the UK,” club co-chair Olwyn Hocking said. “It is wonderful to feel you are getting something right and have the chance at awards events like this to meet other clubs which share your enthusiasm.”

Hocking was full of praises for the club’s volunteers, adding that “Our volunteers work hard to spread a welcome to all parts of the community, using whichever routes people prefer to use.”

The team has gained a visible presence through its marketing projects in the local community and hopes to do the same on  social media. “We have our annual printed programme, which goes to 5,000 homes in the area, we are developing our social media and we value personal face-to-face interaction at a wide range of community events,”  Hocking said. “We’ve also had a marketing project with two student placements. Basically, we want to throw our arms open wide and say: come and enjoy this beautiful open green space and the community facilities in the pavilion.”

Other awards won in the last seven years have included national Cricket Club of the Year, and Ground of the Year.