Leicestershire Launches Leicestershire & Rutland Cricket Foundation

Leicestershire CCC is excited to announce the launch of the Leicestershire & Rutland Cricket Foundation.

Previously operating as the Club’s community arm, the pillar has been restructured and is registering with the Charity Commission, allowing for an expansion in the delivery of life-changing projects across the county.

The newly formed Foundation will strive to reach the heart of Leicestershire and Rutland’s diverse population, using cricket as a vehicle to break down social barriers and connect communities, as well as promote positive physical and mental well-being.

The Foundation will build on the work currently undertaken on delivering schools, clubs and community-targeted initiatives, including the Chance to Shine programme, street cricket sessions, as well as Lord’s Taverners Disability programmes.

Moving to charity status will enable the Foundation to develop and diversify their participation programmes, as well as secure additional funding outside of the traditional bodies.

Speaking on the launch, Foundation Director, Namita Patel, said: “Our ambitions are to better understand the needs of our community and enable people across the county to fulfil their potential.

“We want to put bats and balls in people’s hands, and improve lives through the power of cricket. The move to becoming a Foundation will enhance our ability to do this, as well as grow the game.

“This process has been a long-term project and we are very confident that the Foundation has recruited a Board of Trustees that are committed to delivering our vision of tackling social inequalities on our doorstep.”

The Foundation will operate with a ten-strong Board of Trustees, chaired by Ballu Patel, and is set to be the most diverse Board within cricket.

The group will hold collective responsibility for the governance of the Foundation, offering their expertise and lived experiences to reflect the communities they serve across Leicestershire and Rutland.

Foundation Chair, Ballu Patel, said: “I feel the Foundation is in a unique position to act as a bridge between the recreation side of the game and the Club.

“Our Board of Trustees hold crucial local knowledge and a passion for Leicestershire and Rutland’s communities. We are looking forward to talking to those diverse pockets of people and formulating a strategy to deliver what is required of us.”

The Board will now meet to discuss future plans and events for the Foundation, as well as align their ambitions for serving Leicestershire and Rutland’s communities.

For more information on the Foundation, please read our FAQs HERE.

Pictured (from left to right): Back row: Sean Jarvis, Chandila Fernando, Ballu Patel, Chris Pople, Nikesh Rugani, Zaheer Mohamed, Paul Gowdridge. Front row: Shruti Saujani, Vicky Cartwright, Nishil Saujani.