ENGLAND women's captain Charlotte Edwards and Claire Connor, the head of England women's cricket will officially open the new pavilion at Penzance Cricket Club on Tuesday afternoon (2.30pm).

The scheme to build the new pavilion has been strongly supported by Truro and Penwith College, situated adjacent to the cricket ground.

Penzance Cricket Club was identified by the Cornwall Cricket Board and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) as a club of strategic developmental importance in West Cornwall. The scheme also supports Sport England's and the ECB's national strategy which aims to increase the number of people playing the sport, including the development of women's and girls' cricket.

The £650,000 project saw the college provide £400,000, the England and Wales Cricket Board, in partnership with Sport England, £200,000 and Penzance Cricket Club £25,000.

The new pavilion will provide two changing rooms, showers and toilets, facilities for people with disabilities, umpires' changing room, bar and social area, meeting room, kitchen, veranda and viewing area.

Director of Operations at Truro and Penwith College, Martin Tucker, said: "I was previously Head of Sport at the college and was delighted that when we first suggested this project to them we found such responsive and enthusiastic partners in the ECB, Sport England and Penzance Cricket Club."

Club president Godfrey Adams said: "For many years we have had the ambition to build a new pavilion and we were delighted when the ECB in partnership with Sport England made the grant offer.

"In recent years the club has made progress by achieving ECB Clubmark and Focus Club status and this enabled us to make application for the grant through the support of the Cornwall Cricket Board.

"In addition, we have been accepted as a 'Chance to Shine' club and this means that this year we will provide coaching and play opportunities in three local primary schools.

"Through this coaching programme, which will subsequently include secondary schools, we aim to increase the participation in the playing of the game at the club. We already have over 50 junior members and we particularly want to encourage more boys and girls to play the game."

The college has invited many guests to attend the official opening of the pavilion and representatives of the England and Wales Cricket Board, Sport England, Local Authorities and club members are also set to attend.

For details contact Martin Tucker on 01736 335119 or Godfrey Adams on 01736 361793.