2020 ANNUAL REPORT

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB 2020 ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 18 those who didn’t have access to the internet receiving regular phone calls. Sadly, a number of service users’ dementia worsened during lockdown, but Forget Me Notts volunteers were committed to providing support, hosting Zoom calls and ensuring people stayed active in their own homes.With physical activity being regarded as key in the fight against dementia, this was of the utmost importance. Throughout the year, it has been important to continue to offer an equal amount of support to those who are caring for someone with dementia, so Zoom calls were frequently made to carers, giving them some much-needed respite and the opportunity to build support networks with like-minded people. Come early August, the Trust felt in a position to start running sessions at Lady Bay. After thorough risk assessments were carried out, a football session was held which 30 people with dementia attended, along with their carers.The value of this rare opportunity to enjoy sport safely in 2020 was clear on the faces of all who were present. TheYouNG Project faced a different set of challenges this year. Giving people aged between 13 and 21 the opportunity to gain entrepreneurial skills and equipping them for their future career, the vast majority of the initiative is typically delivered in person. In January and February, two large- scale snapshot work experience sessions were held at Trent Bridge, with a total of 180 young people given an insight into the varied careers at our club. Following the announcement of lockdown,YouNG ambassadors were quick to adapt these work- shops so they could be delivered online. Snapshot work experience sessions became live Q&As, with the likes of Mick Newell and Peter Moores sharing their career journeys with young people. Throughout 2020, theYouNG initiative has supported 329 work experience placements and now works with 40 different employers on work placement programmes. The team also began to focus more on digital content, which included a series of talks hosted onYouTube with people from across 15 different sectors. With so many people having found themselves out of work due to the pandemic, the Ready4Work initiative has also changed the way in which it delivers its workshops, supporting 38 individuals in total over the past year. Up until March, the project comprised of two two-hour, face- to-face sessions each week – one in Bingham and one in Cotgrave – supporting individuals with CV development, applying for jobs and interview skills. Since lockdown these sessions have moved online, with a renewed focus on building the resilience required to bounce back from the kind of setbacks people have encountered in 2020.This year has also seen more individuals considering career changes or needing to upskill their use of technology, so these areas were also addressed. Meanwhile, our heritage team has continued to uncover fascinating insights into our club’s rich history – whilst also acutely aware that we were all living through history in 2020. To create a valuable resource for future generations of researchers and cricket enthusiasts, heritage volunteers and students from NottinghamTrent University have been recording the impact of Covid-19 on international, domestic and recreational cricket and its people. The findings of this research are due to be unveiled to members and supporters in the coming months. A group of volunteers have also been researching and writing profiles of the most famed and extraordinary cricketers to have graced the Trent Bridge turf. The work of the three teams that this report covers is of paramount importance to our club, and we feel exceptionally proud of how they have adapted and continued to deliver throughout such uncertain times.