Volunteers honoured at Spitfire Ground

The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence welcomed volunteers from the grassroots game for the 2019 Volunteer Awards on Tuesday 24^th September and the weather did not dampen the spirits of those who attended.

The Chiesman Pavilion hosted a wonderful celebration to mark the efforts of such passionate volunteers from all over Kent.

There were three award categories:

• The Alan Albury Memorial Awards, named after the former Kent Cricket Board chairman, recognise long service for volunteers in the recreational game.
• The ECB NatWest OSCAs (Outstanding Services to Cricket Awards) recognise and reward volunteers in the recreational game across a number of categories.
• The ECB Coach Awards recognise those coaches who have given up so much of their time to developing cricket within the recreational game and may have previously gone un-thanked.

Director of Community Cricket, Andy Griffiths said: “Volunteers are so important in cricket because they sustain every aspect of the game.

“The best thing for me is that volunteers provide support for anyone – of any ability.  I have always been encouraged to join in, get active and to get interested in cricket thanks to the volunteers at my club when I first started playing.

“People’s reasons for volunteering in cricket vary from person to person – a love of playing and/or watching the game, the chance to meet people and make new friends, or the opportunity to use their professional skills to help their community are just a few examples.

“Today is a chance to say thank you!”

Each winner received a framed citation present to them by the Director of Community Cricket – Andy Griffiths.

To read more about the awards, the winners and why they were nominated please click here

Kent Cricket would like to thank Kent Recreational Cricket Welfare Trust, ECB, NatWest & Kent Sport for supporting the awards.

The list of award winners are as follows:

Alan Albury Memorial Awards

1. Frank Hobbs from Elham Valley Cricket Club
2. Colin ‘Paddy’ Powell from Downham and Bellingham Cricket Club
3. Mark Renshaw from Old Colfeians Cricket Club
4. Danny Thomas from Cudham Wyse Cricket Club
5. Alan Vidgen from Leeds and Broomfield Cricket Club

ECB NatWest OSCAs

1. Young Volunteer 14 to 18 – Edward Scrivens – Leeds & Broomfield Cricket Club
2. Young Volunteer 19 to 25 – Ian Crust – Sidcup Cricket Club
3. Heartbeat of the Club – Mike Buchan – Sidcup Cricket Club
4. Lifetime Achiever – Peter Robinson – Kings Hill Cricket Club

ECB Coach Awards

1. Outstanding Contribution – John Swannick – Staplehurst Cricket Club
2. Coaching Club of the Year – Chestfield Cricket Club
3. Young Coach of the Year – Kayleigh Gallagher – Hayes Cricket Club
4. Coach of the Year – Lucy Arman – St Lawrence & Highland Court Cricket Club