Addington stalwart and KCB coach win Chance to Shine awards

Peter Robinson (pictured), from Addington Village Cricket Club, has been recognised nationally for his work on the Chance to Shine campaign.

Robinson, a Chance to Shine project manager, was awarded the Special Recognition award at the Brit Insurance Annual Achievement Awards, held on Tuesday (12 October) at Lord“s. He received his award from Brit Insurance CEO Dane Douetil CBE, and Chance to Shine President, Mervyn King, the Governor of the Bank of England.

The special award recognises the immense contribution made by an individual or individuals to the Chance to Shine programme over the last five years, contributing to the success of the scheme.

Peter has been involved with youth cricket in Kent for many years and was one of the first in Kent to introduce Chance to Shine to his club and take on a project, when the campaign started in 2005. Throughout his time as project manager, Robinson has poured considerable energy into his own club“s work but has also supported many other projects in Kent over the past five years.

Commenting on his award, Peter Robinson said: “It“s superb to win. We started Chance to Shine at my club five years ago and it“s grown considerably. I“m now involved beyond my club scheme into the Kent County Board disabilities programme, which is absolutely wonderful. It“s really what switches me on.”

Meanwhile Kent Cricket Board coach Les Randall has been named Coach of the Year. Randall, from Portsmouth, was so inspired by the Kent Cricket Board“s disability project that he has travelled over a hundred miles, three days a week for the past year to work in the county. He has delivered coaching in 17 special schools across Kent this year and the teachers have made great use of his expertise and knowledge of disability cricket, highlighting the significant impact that he has had on the children“s development thus far.

Commenting, Les Randall said: “Accepting the award is for all the children I coach. The award means nothing but it“s the smiling faces that mean everything to me. I get an award every morning when I go to work and see the children smile and happy and I can only thank Chance to Shine for that.”

Adding his thoughts on the success of Peter and Les, the KCB“s director of community cricket, Gary Stephens, said: “The public recognition which Peter and Les have received is very welcome indeed and they thoroughly deserve to be acknowledged for their outstanding commitment and effort. Chance to Shine continues to be a key programme in supporting the development of the game throughout the county.”