Volunteers Week 2022: Celebrating those who make cricket happen

When Tom is not on a mission to revive the humble shandy and make it the go-to summer drink through his business, he dedicates a tremendous amount of time to cricket in Gloucestershire holding two ‘Chair’ roles; one at his club, Langford CC, and the other at the Gloucestershire County Cricket League.

Tom has been playing cricket ever since he was a kid and slightly unusually stopped playing in his mid-teens when other sports started to take over. He was fortunate that his local club, Langford CC, started some midweek T20s and despite having had no fixtures for over ten years, fell in love with the game and the club community.

Tom admits both the ‘Chair’ roles he volunteers in demand a great amount of time and hard work, but ever the natural leader, Tom steers both ships forward, always with a smile on his face and positive attitude. Tom says, “Both the club and league are doing amazing things, the clear link between both is the appetite to improve and grow local cricket.”

Would Tom recommend others to volunteer in cricket? “Absolutely. It can be quite addictive lending a hand and seeing people enjoy themselves, whether it be one of the U9s bowling for the first time or running an adult team that end up becoming some of your best mates.”

Having volunteers such as Tom give their time helps to ensure the cricket playing community in Gloucestershire have the best possible experience in the game. We would like to say a wholehearted “Thank you” to Tom for the vital role he plays in keeping cricket alive in Gloucestershire as Chair of the County League.

Will has played cricket for 35 years and has been a devoted member of Poulton Cricket Club for over 20 years where he volunteers in a multitude of roles. If that wasn’t enough, Will also supports the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation by sitting on the County League Committee, where he, and other volunteers, play an integral role in ensuring a positive playing experience for recreational cricket in the county.

As the U11s and Girls Coach, Treasurer, Deputy Safeguarding Officer, Bar Manager, and Club Administrator at Poulton CC, Will can be found at the club six evenings out of seven either playing, coaching, tinkering around in the bar, trying to start the roller, or updating a spreadsheet, to make sure the club is fit for purpose so people can enjoy the facilities as well as their cricket.

When asked why Will is so devoted to cricket, he says “No club cricket game happens without volunteers so if you really love your sport and your club, you have to volunteer and help see it through to future members.”

Cricket provides Will his sole sporting respite from a full-on career in the Global Commodity Markets, which has taken him all over the world. Will says, “I love the various challenges (of volunteering) but particularly the coaching ones. We are very lucky in our ground, pavilion, and village at Poulton, it’s the perfect place to unwind.”

Will is also a family man with a supportive wife and young daughter, with another little girl on the way in November. With the momentum of the Women and Girls game building, Will hopes his daughters will discover the joys of cricket too. “On a personal level, I want to ensure my two girls will have the opportunity to play at Poulton in the future; the growth in the Women and Girls game is awesome.”

It is clear that Will is passionate about cricket and his club, and he highly recommends for others to volunteer. “It doesn’t matter whether you are strengthening club finances or doing one to one sessions with a young player to help their confidence batting against a hard ball, your impact will stand the test of time. Once you volunteer, even just sitting back, looking out on the ground with a cup of tea feels that much more special. Volunteering gives you the best possible stake in your club.”

We would like to say ‘thank you’ to Will for all he does at Poulton CC and on behalf of everyone enjoying cricket in the county, a big thank you for all you do to keep cricket alive in Gloucestershire on the County League Committee.

Ellen has played cricket for five years at Brislington CC and is a PA to a Mental Health Hospital Director. She not only volunteers as the Safeguarding Officer for her club, but she also volunteers in a very important role as the Gloucestershire County Safeguarding Officer, where she leads and manages safeguarding for the whole county and is part of the County Safeguarding Committee.

As the main point of contact for any safeguarding concern clubs may have, Ellen will be the go-to contact. Ellen will liaise with the Foundation on all safeguarding issues and offer advice to anyone in cricket who needs it.

Ellen also delivers the Safehands workshops that Club Safeguarding Officers attend as part of their required training, ensuring all cricket clubs in the county follow best practise and the right procedures are in place.

Asking Ellen why she volunteers she says, “I volunteer because I love it! I love to meet new people and I find it is a great use of my spare time that is hugely rewarding. I love the opportunity to socialise and really enjoy seeing positive outcomes. It is very satisfying doing something because I want to, rather than because I have to.”

The safeguarding of all people in cricket is the main priority for us at the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation. We are extremely grateful to Ellen for giving up her time in this crucial role, ensuring that the game in Gloucestershire provides a safe, friendly, and enjoyable experience for everyone involved in cricket in the county, especially young people and adults at risk.

Razi volunteers for several bodies across cricket in Gloucestershire; the Foundation, County Seniors, and Golden Hill Cricket Club. He works full time to lead and deliver strategic, regulatory and technology transformation programmes for a bank and is also a devoted father and husband to his family. When asking Razi why he volunteers, he says, “I love the game and am passionate about helping where I can.”

Sitting on the Board of Trustees for the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation, Razi is a member of the Governance Committee and Chair of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, where his immediate impact can be felt across the game of cricket in the county. Razi has been instrumental working with teams at the Foundation to create and implement our EDI strategy and GRACE campaign, outlining our determined commitment and expectation that cricket in Gloucestershire is a game for all. Razi says, “My aim is always to make things better, get more children to play cricket, make it easier and inclusive for everyone.”

Razi has played and loved cricket ever since he was a child and has never been coached. As a boy, before playing hard ball cricket, Razi learnt his cricket skills from playing tape ball cricket in Pakistan. In the UK, he played mid-week cricket in Swindon when his family was young and started playing Saturday league cricket from 2005 with Golden Hill CC and now cricket has become a family event. “My two boys, Daz and Fuz, both love playing cricket and my wife, Humaira, has been our biggest supporter, otherwise none of us would have been playing the game we all love!”

At Golden Hill CC, Razi is a member of the Cricket Committee, Captains the 2nd Team and is part of the Selection Committee. His dedication in getting more children into cricket is very apparent at the club as he is the Director of Youth Cricket, Chair of the Youth Development Committee and the U19s Coach and Manager. Razi says, “I get immense internal satisfaction and fulfilment helping others. It brings meaning and joy to my life!”

If that wasn’t enough, Razi is also the 1st Team Captain for the Gloucestershire County Seniors over 50s and a member of their Selection Committee.

For anyone considering volunteering in cricket, Razi highly recommends it. “Giving back a bit of your experience and passion to your local club and community for a bigger aim to make the society a better and enjoyable place to live will not only benefit you, but the generations to come. Why wouldn’t you do it?”

We are immensely grateful to Razi for the time and dedication he offers cricket in Gloucestershire, by inspiring the next generation and making the game more inclusive for everyone. Thank you!

Mo is the Lead Community Officer at MY:UK and is the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation’s man in the know within in central Gloucester.

Mo’s main passion is engaging activity and social impact within his local community of Gloucester. He has followed cricket since his school days, but self admittedly has a bigger passion for football. However, that has not stopped him from creating some amazing impact for our Community Cricket programmes and club development. Mo says, “I love the challenge of giving back to my community. My biggest goal is providing more and broader opportunities than I had when I was younger.”

Mo has been instrumental in working with us to get Chance to Shine Street Cricket up and running in Gloucester and connecting the game with the wider community. Street is a national programme that aims to inspire young people to access cricket, whilst promoting social cohesion and creating opportunities in diverse communities and is purposefully placed in areas that lack green spaces across urban areas where cricket is less accessible. Mo says, “My aim is to increase participation for future generations, help remove barriers that inner cities face, develop relationships and work with local authorities to create social cohesion.”

Mo has also worked with our Club Development Manager to develop a youth section at Gloucester A.I.W Sports Cricket Club. The club now runs a successful U13 boys’ section and are looking to grow their offer.

When asking Mo why he volunteers he says, “I find volunteering very rewarding, especially when you see positive impact in individuals and local families.”

We would like to say “thank you” to Mo for his time and dedication in helping to create and develop a wider cricket offer in Gloucester that can become sustainable and offer impact to the community.

Richard, or Harry, as he’s known, has been volunteering in cricket for several years and when asked why he gives his time to cricket he says, “Because I really enjoy it”.

Harry has been involved in cricket for many years.  His father used to play for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and as a child, Harry played through the county age groups up to U19s.

Like us at the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation, Harry believes cricket is a game for all, and supports our Disability Cricket programmes Super 1s and Table Cricket.  Highlighting the inclusive nature of his beloved cricket club, Thornbury CC, he has created a community Table Cricket hub at the club, which is open to anyone, not just club members.  Table Cricket is an adapted version of cricket played on a table tennis table, specifically designed to give people living with disability the opportunity to play and be competitive in the sport we all love.

Harry says, “Seeing the pride in players is very uplifting and it’s so heart-warming when players arrive, they remember your name, say ‘hello’ and are so excited to play.  Experiencing how the sessions not only impact players, but parents and carers too is highly rewarding.  At one session there was a mum who had tears of joy seeing her child engaging with other people their age for the first time, having fun, and playing a game.  It’s hard to explain the feelings, knowing you had been a part of that.”

Harry is keen to build the inclusive offer at Thornbury CC and has applied for the club to become a Champion Club and create playing opportunities for people with disability at the club, which can potentially lead to the pathway into the county Disability Teams.

Before giving his time to support the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation’s Disability Cricket programmes, Harry also started All Stars, Women and Girl’s cricket at Thornbury CC, as well captaining teams and being the Youth Chair.  Wanting to open the club up to the wider community, Harry has started a café, which has become a much-used amenity to people outside the club.  This has opened the club up to wider offers, such as fitness sessions for older people, children’s parties and even a drive-in cinema night.

When asking Harry if others should volunteer in cricket, he says, “Yes.  It’s outside, it’s the summer, what’s not to like?  It gives enjoyment, increases participation and you’re improving people’s skill levels.  There’s lots happening in cricket, and you can really make a difference.”

We want to say ‘thank you’ to Harry for giving up his time and volunteering in cricket.  Harry is not only having a positive impact on the work the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation are doing in Disability Cricket, but his time and dedication has shown the people in his community cricket truly is a game for all.

Ben has been hooked on cricket since his first experience in the game, which was an indoor session at Cam CC at the age of 10, and has not looked back. Now aged 17, Ben’s love for the game has grown through his volunteering experiences across many areas of cricket. Ben says, “I would definitely recommend some sort of volunteering whether that is coaching, scoring, umpiring or some groundwork.”

Ben’s journey through cricket has seen him play for Cam CC across the age groups where he gained selection for the Stroud and South Gloucestershire District Team for a few seasons. Ben enjoyed his cricket so much, when not playing or training, he would score for the Cam CC 2nd Team at their home games where he racked up 100 hours of volunteering in a season and was nominated for the LV Pride of Cricket Awards. This spurred Ben on to complete his Support Coach qualification in 2021 and before the current season started, Ben was successful in completing his ECB Foundation 1 Coach Award.

As well as studying for his A Levels, Ben now volunteers his time with the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation supporting our Disability Cricket programmes, where he volunteers at the Stroud Super 1s hub and the Frenchay Super 1s hub. Ben says, “This is a great hour to spend with people who just love cricket and it is brilliant to come away feeling like you are a part of that.”

At the Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Super 1s day held at the Seat Unique Stadium in February, Ben provided his new skill of photography and took several pictures capturing some wonderful moments of the event.

Ben also manages to find the time to volunteer where his cricketing journey started, Cam CC, coaching the U11s. Ben says, “I love cricket and to be able to pass it onto others brings happiness to me and I hope others can find this too.”

It’s great to see young volunteers like Ben volunteering their time and skills to keep cricket alive in Gloucestershire and inspire the next generation of players into the game. We would like to say “thank you” to Ben for all he does at Cam CC and for our Disability Cricket programmes, and wish him every success with his A Levels and continuing journey through cricket.

Anmol is an A Level student studying psychology, sociology, and biology who through her father and brother, has been playing cricket for three years. She enjoys volunteering at her club, Frenchay CC, as an umpire and a coach and occasionally scores too. In her words, “I volunteer to help the club out and it is just fun.”

Through volunteering at Frenchay CC, Anmol discovered umpiring, has gained a better understanding of cricket, and is getting more experience officiating games. As well as studying for her A Levels, Anmol is also taking her umpiring courses, which she is relishing.

Anmol says, “I enjoy volunteering as it makes cricket more interesting and helps me improve my skills as a coach. Through volunteering I’ve gained more experience in umpiring, alongside my umpiring courses.”

Having new officials like Anmol coming into the game is very exciting for us at the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation. Without newly qualified and trained officials, we would not have the standard of cricket we currently experience in the county. We would like to say “thank you” to Anmol for volunteering her time to take responsibility of the games she officiates.

Anmol certainly recommends others to volunteer in cricket “because it has a good social side and just makes you feel like you’ve done something to help your club.”

Before becoming a professional cricket scorer for Worcestershire CCC, Sue worked in IT Support and Training for a Gloucestershire engineering company. She has never played cricket but has been a club scorer since she was a teenager, scoring originally for her father’s club, Prestbury CC in Cheltenham, and then for 30+ years for her husband’s team, Chedworth CC near Cirencester.

Sue has two volunteer cricket roles: one local and one national. Locally, Sue is the ECB ACO County Scoring Officer for Gloucestershire and organises scoring courses to train scorers in Gloucestershire. She is also responsible for finding scorers for representative matches and generally co-ordinate all things scoring within the county.

Nationally, and still as a volunteer, Sue is the Scorer Education Manager for ECB ACO. In this role, she uses her professional skills as an IT Trainer to create and maintain all the training material used for scorer education across the whole of England and Wales, and sometimes further. Sue says, “My aim is to help others to enjoy cricket scoring as much as I do.”

When asked why Sue volunteers, she says “It’s not something I set out to do but I cannot sit back and ignore a need when I see it, for something I think I can help with. If we all do our little bit, whatever that may be, it all helps to build a bigger picture.”

Sue recommends volunteering to anyone who can make a little time to help others within their community. “Helping other scorers to gain the confidence to participate in our great game, not only gives me great pleasure but also broadens my own understanding and appreciation of the game, by learning from others, especially in formats of the game that I don’t naturally participate in myself. It is lovely to see scorers that I have trained in action and enhances my enjoyment of the art of scoring to be able to work with other skilled scorers on the circuit.”

We at the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation would like to say “thank you” to Sue for giving her time to provide other volunteer scorers with the confidence to note down all the action on the pitch, ball by ball, and provide players the statistics to reflect on their wins (or woes) in seasons past.