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With the 2018 cricket season fast approaching the David
Shepherd Cricket Trust is looking to see how it can help
our game prosper and reach as many young people it
can with its values and the fun and enjoyment it offers.
The Trust is here to encourage young people to play the
game and to ensure that, through financial assistance and
encouragement, it is open to all who want to learn and
play. The aim of the Trust is to assist Devon youth and
to fill funding gaps to enable the game to prosper at all
junior levels to support the great game of cricket in Devon
both now and for the future.
Merging the Devon Youth Cricket Foundation with the
David Shepherd Cricket Foundation 3 years ago to form the
David Shepherd Cricket Trust has proved to be an excellent
move providing the cricketing family of Devon with one cricket
charity on which it can depend for the support of youth
cricket. The Trustees aim to deliver about £20Ks worth of
grants per year, a challenge that requires serious fund raising
and growing the membership base. The Trustees firmly believe
that the more members the Trust has the better for the cricket
community in Devon: This is why the Trust asks those that ask
for a grant to provide new members.
The Trust has uses roughly one half of its annual budget to
support elite junior cricket for both boys and girls where no ECB funding is
provided and as to the other half for cricket clubs and schools particularly
in encouraging coaching and formation of youth sections. As a special
one off project, the Trust recently completed a program of providing club
youth sections with new helmets that meet the ECB safety standards –
“The Helmet Offer”. The Trust recognises the considerable extra costs
which modern equipment demands bring to our game in this area.
This proved to be a significant benefit for club youth sections in Devon.
The Trust receives applications throughout the year and the winter
can be far busier than the summer with Clubs promoting coaching
programs and new coaches going through training course or
existing coaches moving up a level. Grants are given to enable
these courses to be run and for coaches to improve their
skills. Coaches and coaching is recognised as particularly
important and the dedication and commitment of mature
cricketers in introducing the game and improving skills is vital
and appreciated by the Trustees. It is the life blood of the
future of the game.
The Trust is reliant on the generosity of a strong
membership: New members are vital to the Trust and its
work – so please join! Yearly or monthly contributions
can be enhanced by the benefit of Gift Aid. We are also
most appreciative of those who have gone out of their
way, and their comfort zone to raise funds for the charity.
Together these marvellous people provide sufficient
funds for the Trust to contribute at all youth levels of the
great game of cricket in Devon.
The Trust does not forget its two Patrons, the ever-youthful Chris
Read and the England Women’s captain Heather Knight. Having
these two fine and very active people associated with the Trust is
fantastic.
We look forward to a great 2018 cricket season and wish each and every
one of you a most pleasant summer – And, as you think about the great
game, why not become a 111 member? Details of that and lots other
matters are on our website at www.dsct111.org.uk
Guy Curry
The David Shepherd Cricket Trust
/www.dsct111.org.uk
/www.dsct111.org.uk