Staff Wellness 2021

Staff at Edgbaston are being given an extra week of holiday over the festive season as a reward for the great delivery of cricket and events in 2021, but also to recharge ahead of an exciting major match summer.

Alongside the extensive programme of Warwickshire fixtures in 2022, Edgbaston will again host four double header days of Birmingham Phoenix games in The Hundred and a seven-day programme of men’s major match cricket, including England’s LV= Insurance Test match and Vitality T20i versus India and Vitality Blast Finals Day. The Birmingham venue will also host all fixtures in the eight-day women’s T20i tournament in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

“Staff wellbeing is at the forefront of everything that we do,” said “Edgbaston’s Operations Director Claire Daniel.

“We’re fortunate that we were able to train 16 staff as Mental Health First Aiders at the beginning of last year before COVID struck. This group has since met regularly and the guys are a first response to anyone who may be struggling, as well as being able to direct to external support where appropriate.”

Each month the Club sends out a mental health support newsletter, which offers practical advice and reading on how to manage mental health, recommendations on podcasts, books and videos.

Through the first lockdown, staff working on-site also transformed an unused room in its broadcast suite into a staff wellness room, as a relaxed and comfortable environment where staff can have time away from the office.

From a health and well-being perspective, fruit is available daily within the office, whilst exercise is widely encouraged through use of the players’ gym, weekly group yoga sessions and walks over at Cannon Hill Park, which is located across the road from Edgbaston.

“Edgbaston is an incredibly busy venue throughout the year,” added Daniel. “Even during the lockdowns we stayed busy through our community response, and with the amount of cricket and events taking place over evenings and weekends, it’s imperative that we do our utmost to look after our staff.

“If we want people to be at their best then we need to create an environment that allows for them to flourish.

“The office is now closed until 10 January, which hopefully allows all staff to enjoy the best Christmas possible, to unwind and come back refreshed ready for another monumental year where Edgbaston is again at the centre of the world sporting calendar.”