2020 ANNUAL REPORT

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB 2020 ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 8 R I C H A R D T E NNAN T CHAI RMAN’S REPORT The very survival of the First-Class counties seemed, at times, not to be a given – and many very difficult decisions have had to be taken throughout the game. That we are now able to look forward as a sport with growing confidence is due to an unprecedented level of financial support from the ECB and, in many cases around the country, the generosity of club members. Here at Trent Bridge, we were truly humbled by the response from our members, and my sincere thanks go to those of you who were able to contribute by donating your subscriptions.We were delighted that the decision to award a County Cap was so well received. We have received many messages of support, which were welcome and appreciated, and my gratitude also goes to those of you who have already decided to renew or join for the 2021 season. Once we understood the possible consequences of the pandemic on the club, we formed a Covid-19 strategic sub-group.This consisted of myself as Chairman alongside our Chief Executive, Finance Director, Vice Chairman, ClubTreasurer and two other members of the General Committee with financial expertise. This group continues to meet regularly to make the necessary and sometimes tough decisions, and to ensure that we move quickly to take advantage of any opportunity to reduce the financial impact of the pandemic. The work of our Chief Executive Lisa Pursehouse and our Finance Director Tim Eatherington has been exemplary. My thanks go to them and to all members of staff who have done so much during this difficult time. All of our employees accepted temporary wage reductions, which was critically important at the height of the pandemic. However, there have also, sadly, been some redundancies. My best wishes go to each of the individuals affected, together with my thanks for their contributions to the club. As well as the quantum of financial support we received, the ECB acted with speed and promptness to address the First-Class counties’ immediate cashflow concerns. Their intervention has contributed significantly to the modest profit in our accounts for 2020. We remain in an extremely challenging financial climate, and further decisive action will doubtless be required. However, with the 2020 was most definitely not the year any of us expected, and the dramatic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic on cricket, on sport and on our lives in general cannot be overstated.