England skippers Strauss and Edwards to lend a hand

with NatWest CricketForce 2010

 

 

England captains Andrew Strauss and Charlotte Edwards will be swapping their cricket whites for paintbrushes and overalls when they launch this year’s NatWest CricketForce at Harrow St Mary’s CC in London on Friday, March 26^th.

 

The pair will kick off the three-day long volunteering initiative refurbishing local cricket clubs around the country. Fellow England star Graeme Swann, and his Nottinghamshire team-mates will take part at Gedling Colliery CC, near Nottingham on Saturday March 27^th.

 

The programme will round off on Sunday, March 28^th when Scarborough CC, will invite England pace bowler James Anderson and former Test Umpire Harold ‘Dickie’ Bird to join forces with volunteers and NatWest staff aiming to rejuvenate one of the oldest and most distinguished cricket grounds in the country.

 

The 2010 NatWest CricketForce will be the biggest in the project’s nine-year history with more than 1,500 clubs taking part and an estimated 85,000 volunteers: a bigger volunteering programme than the Olympics.

 

Richard Taylor, Brand Director at NatWest, and hundreds of NatWest staff will also be honing their DIY skills and helping out at local clubs across the country. Richard said: “NatWest has been helping community cricket for the last 30 years and we're really proud to be continuing to support the ECB and the grassroots game. NatWest CricketForce can transform a ground in a matter of hours and provides a real sense of satisfaction for everyone involved. This year, we have hundreds of dedicated NatWest staff ready and waiting to roll their sleeves up and get stuck in”

 

ECB Club Programmes Manager, David Leighton, said: “We want every sports-lover nationwide to show support for their local cricket club this year by getting involved in NatWest CricketForce. Whether it’s by painting a bench, repairing the score-box or mending nets, there are many ways in which volunteers can make a difference and bring a real sense of community spirit to the event.”

 

England captain Andrew Strauss, who will be joined by his Middlesex team-mates for the launch event at Harrow St Mary’s CC, said: “NatWest CricketForce provides an excellent opportunity to support grassroots cricket. I’ve been involved since 2005 and seen the enthusiasm and difference communities can make when they pull together. This year myself and the England players will be getting our hands dirty and we encourage everyone to get involved to ensure the foundations of the game for the next generation of England cricketers are stronger than ever.”

 

 

England women’s team captain Charlotte Edwards said: “I’m really looking forward to playing my part in NatWest CricketForce and helping give something back to the local cricket clubs who do so much to put cricket at the heart of our communities. This year promises to be our best yet and we are delighted that a record number of clubs will be taking part.”

 

 

NatWest CricketForce Events:

 

Please note all events will run from 11:30 am (tbc) to 1:30 pm.

 

Friday, March 26^th

England captain Andrew Strauss, England women’s captain Charlotte Edwards, fellow internationals Isa Guha, Laura Marsh and Beth Morgan, players from Middlesex CCC and ECB CEO David Collier will attend Harrow St Mary’s Cricket Club at the Old Millhillians Sports Ground in Hatch End

 

Saturday, March 27^th

England cricketers Graeme Swann, Nicky Shaw and Danni Wyatt and players from Nottinghamshire CCC will attend Gedling Colliery Cricket Club near Nottingham together with ECB Managing Director - Cricket Partnerships, Mike Gatting

 

Sunday March 28^th   

England cricketers James Anderson, Tammy Beaumont, Kathryn Brunt and Jenny Gunn plus former Test Umpire Harold ‘Dickie’ Bird will attend Scarborough Cricket Club together with ECB Managing Director - Cricket Partnerships, Mike Gatting.

 

A full programme of NatWest CricketForce events is taking place nationwide over the weekend of March 26^th-28^th. Anyone interested in finding out more about NatWest CricketForce events in their region should contact their nearest County Cricket Development Manager. A full list of contacts can be found at:  http://www.ecb.co.uk/development/development-structure-and-contacts/cricket-development-officers-first-class,68,BP.html

 

Background information on the NatWest CricketForce Showcase Clubs

 

·        Harrow St Marys CC is currently in its 129^th year, has a thriving junior section and won the MCC Spirit of Cricket National Club Championships for Under 13s in 2006. Last year the club left its previous base at ‘The Rec’ in Harrow which it shared with other sports clubs to take up a lease at the Old Millhillians Sports Ground in Hatch End. The club has now embarked on a major renovation project which will include the installation of a new electronic scoreboard, a new artificial pitch for juniors and a complete upgrade of changing rooms and catering areas.

·        Address: Headstone Lane Harrow HA2 6NF. Media Contact Sudhir.rawal@leeseassociates.co.uk or lesleybrownuk@googlemail.com

 

·        Gedling Colliery CC: This is the first time Gedling Colliery, which celebrated its centenary in 2003, has been involved in NatWest CricketForce and the club is seeking widespread community support for an extensive refurbishment programme including a patio, new kitchen, dressing rooms and showers, disabled toilet and new practice areas.  The club has four Saturday sides who play in the South Notts Cricket League, two Sunday sides in the Newark Alliance Cricket League and more than 100 Juniors playing Kwik cricket through to U15's.  

·        Address Plains Road, Mapperley, Nottingham NG3 5RH. Media Contact:  jayneharris150@btinternet.com

 

·        Scarborough Cricket Club has a rich cricketing history. W.G Grace, Jack Hobbs and Don Bradman are among the cricketing legends to have played at North Marine Road which has also staged England U19 and England Women’s Test Matches. The club currently boasts five adult and junior teams and will host the 124^th annual Scarborough Festival later this year.

·        Address 118 North Marine Road, Scarborough YO12 7TJ: Media Contact: Colin Adamson, Club secretary: scarboroughcc@btconnect.com

 

 

Notes to editors:

 

1. NatWest CricketForce is the biggest annual volunteering event in UK Sport. All the clubs taking part in NatWest CricketForce 2010 are ECB affiliated. Participation in NatWest CricketForce has rocketed since its launch in 2002, when just one showcase club took part.  NatWest CricketForce grew for the seventh consecutive year in 2009 as a record 1514 clubs took part. In addition, more than 85,000 volunteers including over 800 NatWest staff (500 in 2008), county and England players helped out at their local clubs over the weekend.

 

2. It is one of many initiatives sponsored by NatWest to develop the sport at grassroots level:

·        The NatWest U15 National Club Championship provides a platform for the future stars of the game to compete to be National Champions and develop in the sport.

·        The annual NatWest Outstanding Service to Cricket Awards (NatWest OSCAs) held annually at Lord’s to recognize cricket’s thousands of unsung heroes.

 

3. Helping cricket for 30 years and committed to its future, 2010 is NatWest’s 30^th consecutive season as a sponsor of English Cricket. Over the past thirty years, NatWest has demonstrated a commitment to supporting cricket at community level. In addition to sponsoring youth cricket across the country going back to the 1980s, NatWest has also been the title sponsor of the ECB’s Grassroots programme since 2002.

 

 

Press Contacts:

 

1) Andrew Walpole ECB General Manager, Communications, Publications and New Media – 07785527102

2. Fiona Maddocks ECB Media Relations Manager - Women’s and Grassroots Cricket  07584141033

 

3) Michelle Palmer, Media Relations, NatWest:  020 7672 1925

 

4.) Nick Hamilton M&C Saatchi Sport and Entertainment: 07817 848691