CHIPPENHAM Sports Club enjoyed one of the most significant days in their history when their new £730,000 clubhouse was officially opened on Saturday.

The ribbon cutting at the Bristol Road facility was performed by Barbara Taylor, who has been a club member since 1936.

The opening ceremony was the highlight of a weekend of celebratory activities both on and off the field.

Finances for the project were largely raised through the sale of land, the old bowls ground and old clubhouse for housing development.

Other monies came from general fundraising, donations from North Wiltshire District Council and the Borough Lands Trust, loans from members and a bank loan.

The former clubhouse building is currently in the process of being pulled down by a housing developer.

The facilities at the new clubhouse include changing rooms downstairs and a bar and lounge upstairs.

There is also a meeting room upstairs with a tennis clubroom and bowls clubroom.

A balcony overlooks the cricket ground and tennis courts.

The club's project manager Bob Chalmers oversaw the scheme along with club steward Andy Thatcher.

Chalmers said: "We believe we have one of the top venues in county for combination of sports we play cricket, bowls, hockey, tennis and football.

"This is one of most significant events in the club's history.

"We've gone from having a 70 to 80-year-old clubhouse to a brand new to brand new facility.

"People used to be embarrassed to use the changing rooms because they were so run down. But now we have facilities fit for the 21st century."

Sports club president Bob Corke said the members had been looking forward to having the new facility since the idea was conceived ten years ago.

"This scheme has been created through the efforts of club members and it is fitting that that one of our oldest, respected and most committed members performed our opening ceremony," he said.

"Chippenham Sports Club now has first class social facilities and changing rooms that match our excellent playing pitches, and we shall be making great use of them all this summer."

The playing facilities include six newly laid floodlit tennis courts, the cricket pitch, the new county standard bowls green which has been relocated as part of the scheme, while the hockey teams use the nearby floodlit astroturf pitch.

Corke paid tribute to the leading members of the new clubhouse scheme , Tim Waycott and Dennis Parsons, who had the vision to put the scheme together, and the many club members who contributed their support.

He added: "In particular Bob Chalmers has been hands-on and put in a tremendous amount of voluntary work and has overseen the development along with Andy Thatcher the club steward," he added.

"We would also like to thank North Wiltshire District Council, Chippenham Town Council, the Borough Lands Trust, Dreweatt and Neate and Hathaway Surgery for their support."

Veteran member Taylor said they new facility would be much appreciated.

"It will be absolutely fantastic for the club and is long awaited," she said.

"I've been a member of the club since I started playing hockey in the 1930s. There were only 14 members then but now there are more like 614.

"I retired from playing hockey 20 years ago but I still regularly go to the club to play skittles."

Anyone who wants more information about playing sports at the club can contact Jill Kee on 07973 860633 or Andy Thatcher on (01249) 652867.