ANNUAL REPORT 2019

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB 2019 ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 16 We have secured three years worth of funding to allow us to deliver Su- per 1s – a disability cricket initiative – in five locations across the county for the first time. All Stars cricket continues to go from strength to strength, with 1,355 five to eight-year-olds enjoying an introduction to cricket at one of over 40 clubs countywide – and with our work in inner-city primary schools being recognised at the Chance to Shine Awards. We’ve made real efforts to plug the gap that promising cricketers can fall down in adolescence, success- fully introducing a development competition for under-17s and managing a thriving T20 league for under-19s. And our women’s softball events have increased in popularity as the profile of the women’s game in general has grown. These have introduced 700 new women into cricket, allowing us to develop softball leagues that will run through both winter and summer so that momentum is not lost in the darker months. With further England recognition coming the way of Nottingham- shire’s Kirstie Gordon, Sophie Munro and Jenny Gunn – before she drew the curtain on her distin- guished international career – the women’s game is in encouraging shape at all levels across the county. These initiatives have all contributed to over 12,000 new participants tak- ing part in the sport during 2019. But they are not to detract from the crucial work cricket clubs across the county play as the lifeblood of the recreational game. The work done by dedicated volun- teers to keep club cricket alive never ceases to amaze – and the tireless efforts of these hard-working indi- viduals have been more humbling than ever this year. The number of nominations we received for our OSCAs awards – designed to recognise commit- ment to the grassroots game – was significantly higher than in previous summers. Those 52 nominations came from 31 different clubs – with half of these in the north of the county – and included eight women and 15 young people. It is this diversity which will ulti- mately help to keep recreational cricket alive for generations to come – and we are keen to support it wherever we can. A network of Club Development Officers has been in place for the past 18 months, solidifying the bonds between those at Trent Bridge and the individuals at the grassroots by spending over 1,500 hours with clubs. We have supported clubs in training and accrediting welfare officers, to ensure that the environment in each pavilion is welcoming and friendly for children and vulnerable adults. There are now over 130 such officers across the county – one at every club – placing Notting- hamshire firmly at the vanguard of national efforts to ensure cricket clubs are safe for all. Elsewhere, we have begun a quest Haydn Road Community Cricket Club 12,000+ NEW PART IC I PANTS IN CR ICKET IN 2019