Volunteers Honoured at Grassroots Cricket Awards

On Monday evening, the Club hosted the Leicestershire and Rutland Grassroots Cricket Awards at the Uptonsteel County Ground, to recognise the incredible volunteers who contribute so much to the game.

The volunteers who had been nominated for each award were welcomed to the new marquee at the ground to experience matchday hospitality as Leicestershire played against Sussex CCC in the LV= County Championship fixture. The Awards Evening then took place after the conclusion of the fixture to recognise the sacrifices and hard work of the volunteers whilst reflecting on the past 12 months.

Full list of winners: 

Connecting Communities Award “ Bharat Sports Cricket Club

Inspired to Play Award “ Hinckley Amateur Cricket Club

Rising Star Award “ Dom Walker (Sileby Town Cricket Club)

Game Changer Award “ Chloe Yates (Sileby Town Cricket Club)

Unsung Hero Award “ Howard Verow (Earl Shilton Cricket Club)

Growing the Game Award “ Robin Whait (Leicestershire & Rutland Cricket League/ACO)

National Programmes Centre of the Year Award “ Asian Sports Cricket Club

Lifetime Achiever “ Peter Sullivan (Cosby Cricket Club) 

Head of Community, Mark Barber said: “We’re delighted to have been able to thank some of the amazing volunteers that make grassroots cricket happen across Leicestershire and Rutland.

"To treat them to a fantastic days cricket as well as a days hospitality at the Uptonsteel County Ground is just scratching the surface in relation to the time and energy these volunteers give to our game, but it is hoped that the recognition received makes it a day to remember.

"We acknowledge the importance of volunteering in cricket and appreciate everyone who gives their time to the game. I hope the recognition can keep that fire burning to continue to do great things, these brilliant volunteers are the bedrock of this game and allow the game to flourish year on year.”  

The England and Wales Cricket Board, alongside the wider cricket community, are recognising a record-breaking 20,000 volunteers this year to celebrate the people that have made cricket happen.

In total, over 42,000 volunteers countrywide have helped their local clubs and communities to play more cricket and get more people involved in the game than ever before. 

This summer has seen records breaking across the game, particularly in recreational cricket, with over 100,000 kids playing in All Stars and Dynamos, including Sky Sports’ Dynamos Cricket Intros. There’s also been strong growth in adult recreational cricket after 10,000 more fixtures were played this season in comparison to 2019 World Cup summer. 

Opportunities in women’s cricket have gone from strength to strength with 41 professional domestic contracts given at the beginning of the year, The Hundred showcasing record attendances for women’s games and 738 additional events throughout Women’s Big Cricket Month. 

ECB Director of Participation and Growth, Nick Pryde, said: “We want all our volunteers to know just how much we appreciate them and the time they put into making the cricket community such a positive place.

"It’s wonderful to be able to recognise and thank so many of them in such a meaningful way. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners of the Grassroots Cricket Awards and those being recognised for their efforts, we couldn’t do it without you.”   

For more information on how you can volunteer to get involved with cricket, visit ECB.co.uk/volunteering.