Case Study: Leicestershire County Cricket Club

Written by Kit Garrett
August 24, 2023

It’s fair to say that Leicestershire County Cricket Club has played a pioneering role in the democratisation of English cricket. The first team in First Class County Cricket to appoint an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Director, Leicester are executing on a thoroughly evidenced and practical EDI Plan – part of which included the installation a both a modular Changing Places toilet and a multifaith space.

In 2022, Leicestershire became the first County Cricket side in England to appoint an EDI Director, and since the publication of their 2022 EDI Report have embarked on an aggressive and inspiring campaign to bring the Club’s diverse and disparate communities together.

“Societal shift means that more people are reflecting, educating, and playing their part to address discrimination,” said Namita Patel, EDI Director. “Cricket has a unique ability to connect communities, improve lives and eradicate social barriers. Everything that Leicestershire CCC are working towards…allows us to make great strides towards enhancing and extending the reputation, reach and profile of the game of cricket.”¹

The Report identified several key areas for immediate consideration, among them being improvements to Uptonsteel County Ground:

With an increased number of accessible Super 1s sessions being held Ground, a need was determined for better facilities for disabled people with the most complex needs
Leicester is one of the most multicultural cities in the country – in order to reflect this diversity, a need for a multi-faith space was determined to ensure all visitors, players and staff can engage with their religion in safety and comfort

A Winning Partnership

Leicester CCC commissioned RISE to undertake both of these important installations. Working in partnership with the Stadium Management team at Grace Road, our onboarding team quickly determined the right product mix for the client; in this case, a CP+1 modular Changing Places plus accessible toilet and, as none of our prefabricated products were large enough, a bespoke, traditionally constructed multi-faith space.

Once site surveys were completed and appropriate locations determined, we got to work on the fabrication of the CP+1 modular pod. Our team stayed in close contact with the Club throughout this process, meaning the client had complete control over the look and feel of their new CPT. From exterior finish, to interior design, to equipment layout – even down to where the door would be placed, Leicestershire were able to pick every element to their exact specifications.

In this circumstance, the Club took the decision to handle their own groundworks. Though RISE specialises in a turnkey solution, taking care of everything from drafting and planning through to groundworks, installation, and registration, we were more than happy to flex our usual way of working to accommodate the client’s wishes.

A key aspect of the work we were undertaking was that disruption to the normal running of the Ground should be kept to a minimum; work on site began in May, coinciding with the start of the 4-Day Test season, so our teams would need to work cleanly and efficiently to ensure spectators were not impacted by ongoing construction.

Let Us Bowl You Over

Bespoke Multifaith Space? Howzat!

Due to the size and mooted location of the multifaith space, it was decided that a traditional (i.e. non-modular) build would best suit the client’s needs. This presented an interesting set of challenges for us; as expert installers of modular pod systems, we don’t get too many requests for traditional builds. However, as our team all have backgrounds in traditional construction and the unique challenges it presents, we were more than confident in taking on the job.

As groundworks had already been completed by the Club, our build team were able to get to work straight away. From those foundations, we delivered an entirely originally designed and specced space to the client within 6 weeks of starting on site. As with any project of this scope, there were minor issues along the way – damage to doors prior to installation meant that we footed the bill for new ones – however, the end result is something we’re extremely proud of and will help to widen the community’s participation in cricket for years to come.

Inclusion Wins

The modular CP+1 we installed was one of our standard models, customised to the client’s wishes. Fully compliant with BS8300 Standards out of the gate, the Changing Places toilet features an adult changing bed, a peninsular toilet, grabrails, a hoist, anti-slip flooring, a privacy screen and more.

All in all, our team spent less than 2 days on-site securing the pod to the foundation and connecting it to utilities, resulting in an installation that will stand the test of time.

Adaptability Is Key

Dan Archer, Stadium Manager at the Unionsteel County Ground had this to say:

“What impressed me most about RISE and their approach is that nothing was impossible. When we decided to opt for a traditional structure for our multifaith space over a modular pod, I was concerned that maybe RISE would not be the best option. Any doubts I had were immediately erased when the team delivered the first set of drawings – I knew we’d made the right choice and were in safe hands.

“Our CPT was fitted out exactly as we wanted it to be from start to finish. I couldn’t be happier with the end result.”

¹Leicestershire County Cricket Club EDI Report 2022 (click here to view report ->)

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