An update from CEO, Mark Curtin

Dear all,

We’re approaching a very enjoyable and important time of year for us at the Taverners. As you may have seen in our recent communications, there are so many events to get behind in the coming months which our incredible members and volunteers from Cornwall all the way up to Scotland are busy in bringing together in the build up to Christmas.

Our festive events are an incredible opportunity to raise valuable awareness about the work we do through our inclusive cricket programmes, funds to support the continued delivery and growth of them, while also socialising with fellow charity supporters and having a lot of fun to. Tickets are on sale for over 20 events across the county so please do support an event near you in the coming months if you can, and I extend the biggest of thank yous to everyone who is helping to make these events happen.

I’m delighted to be able to share that we’ll be welcoming Chair of the ECB, Richard Thompson to our next Trustee board meeting on 2 November. This is further illustration of how we’re continuing to work more closely with the ECB as one of its cricket charity partners. The strength and importance of our relationship was highlighted by the increased investment the ECB have made into our thriving disability cricket offer, news I was very happy to share in my September update. Working with the ECB on this has not only seen them increase their funding to help us deliver our work, but also enhance our credibility and standing across the game for the high-quality work we do.

With this in mind, it was fitting that in the last week of October we found out that for the first time in the history of the Super 1s programme we had a participant named in an England disability squad!

Alfie Pyle, who has attended the Crawley Super 1s hub since 2019, has been selected for the England learning disabilities squad which is heading to South Africa for a tri-series being contested by England, South Africa and Australia starting on 12 November. This is fantastic news and further illustration of the progress Super 1s has made in making the game accessible to more young people with a disability. Congratulations to Alfie and his family and I would encourage everyone reading this to keep an eye on the ECB, Lord’s Taverners and Sussex websites and social media channels to find out if or when Alfie makes his competitive England debut to celebrate his success.

Super 1s is about much more than cricket, it’s about providing opportunities for young people with disabilities who otherwise may not have been able to access them. Providing a platform and personal development opportunities for these young people to help them believe they can achieve whatever it is they would like to achieve is the goal, and it’s fantastic for Alfie that his goal of representing his country in the sport he loves is one he looks like he’s about to reach.

Best wishes,
Mark