Hello, my name is Paul Shevlin and I am the President of Oswestry Cricket Club in the market town of Oswestry, Shropshire close to the Welsh border. The Club was founded in 1855.

I will be running the Berlin Marathon - distance: 26.2 miles (way too far for a 71 year-old!) on 27th September 2026, raising money for Oswestry CC's vital sustainability project.

I have a long association with, and great affection for this superb community hub, as a former player and now, as President.

It costs over £400 per week just to ‘open the doors’ to our much-valued cricket club, the value of which goes far beyond the boundary - it is so much more than just a place where cricket is played. It is a true community hub, providing a home for the Royal British Legion, where local armed forces veterans meet weekly, a fortnightly business networking venue for the Shropshire Chamber of Commerce, a space for charity fundraising events for our local children's hospice, Hope House, and an affordable hire facility for very many local families' celebrations - from Christenings, to weddings to wakes.

The key to the future sustainability of this well-used facility lies in reducing revenue costs, in particular electricity and oil costs.

The Club's electricity bill is presently around £6,000 per annum. The installation of a battery will enable the club to use cheap rate electricity overnight, the battery will then feed back during the day.

The project also includes the installation of solar panels, which again will enable solar electricity to power the club with any surplus being used to charge the battery and heat the hot water. This latter element saving our oil usage.

These 71 year-old legs would really value any support you feel able to give me to give back to Oswestry Cricket Club, which generates so much joy and pleasure for so many.

I completed the London Marathon last year in a smidge under 4 hours. I'm hoping for a new PB in Berlin! Your support will power me on! Thank you. Diolch yn fawr.