Cricket has returned to playing fields across England and Wales in recent weeks and with the help of NatWest CricketForce clubs are able to offer a safer environment for players, volunteers and spectators.
NatWest have 4,000 PPE packages to send to clubs as part of their 2020 CricketForce campaign, containing antibacterial cleaning products, hand gels, disposable gloves and facemasks.
Over 75% of those packs have already been sent out to clubs who have registered to be part of CricketForce, including to Cheshire side Neston CC.
Neston put out five senior sides on a weekend, as well has offering age-group teams for youngsters aged nine to 19, so a return to action in early July has been a boost to the local community.
Junior chairman David Collyer said: “We feared that we may not play any cricket this summer, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we’re glad to be back.
“Thanks to the guidance from the ECB and the support of NatWest CricketForce the appetite for cricket at Neston CC has been greater than ever.”
With the changing rooms unable to be used due to social distancing guidelines, the club has invested in gazebos to shelter players from the inevitable rain showers, as well as splitting their new PPE across the two squares at their home ground.
Collyer says people, and especially parents of young players, are feeling confident that safety and wellbeing is paramount in the return to action.
“We’ve had to change a few things but there hasn’t been a single dissenting voice to any of the adaptations required to meet the guidance,” he said.
“The sanitiser breaks have been operating well and players and parents feel confident that the club is a safe, well organised environment thanks to NatWest CricketForce.”
John Stephenson
john@cricketinvestor.co.uk
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