NatWest CricketForce is back for the summer of 2020, but as cricket clubs across the country contend with returning to play in the wake of COVID-19, the focus this year has shifted to ensuring clubs can support their volunteer community and enable them to return to cricket confidently.
Like previous years NatWest CricketForce is all about bringing clubs together to work towards a common goal. But while the weather may have been the main barrier in the past, this year clubs have got social distancing measures to respect, as well as new guidelines to comply with.
Therefore, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be arriving this week with clubs who signed up to NatWest CricketForce before March of this year. These packs will include:
- 25 x 200ml bottles of hand sanitiser
- Four x 750ml bottles of disinfectant
- Four packs of 50 facemasks
- 100 wipes
- Two packs of four sets of gloves
The arrival of the PPE signals the first of three steps to this year’s NatWest CricketForce.
1. Registered clubs will receive a safety package filled with hygiene and cleaning equipment including face-masks, hand gel, disinfectant spray, disposable gloves and disinfectant wipes.
2. All clubs will receive weekly communication from ECB providing hints, tips and links to club support initiatives, as well as NatWest financial advice and how-to guides on the best way to get cricket played again this summer.
3. As and when the UK Government advises us that it is safe to do so, ECB wants – if possible – to enable clubs to host a weekend that brings the community together, reflecting on this extraordinary season, celebrating the overcoming of significant challenges, and looking ahead to 2021. Toft CC and Finchley CC will be the two NatWest CricketForce showcase clubs, demonstrating from personal experience how NatWest have been helping clubs.
Clubs who have not yet registered for NatWest Cricket Force can still do so here, and will still receive their set of PPE.
“NatWest have been huge supporters of recreational cricket for a long time and throughout the COVID-19 period they have gone above and beyond to ensure clubs are able to access help and support.
Nick Pryde, ECB Director of Performance & Growth
“They’ve been hugely useful in helping us deliver toolkits, guides and how-to’s and NatWest CricketForce is another fantastic example of the work we’re doing together to help clubs across England and Wales.
“The current situation means this year’s NatWest CricketForce will need to look a bit different but the arrival of PPE should be of great use to our clubs, and together with NatWest we’ll look to continue supporting clubs as best we can through this difficult time.”
