About the Cricket Society Trust
The Cricket Society Trust is a charity dedicated to helping the Disabled, Handicapped, deprived and disadvantaged around the world by providing remedial and recreational facilities through the enjoyment of cricket.
A Short History
Motivated by an appeal from the resident Chaplain of Pitcairn Island to the then Vice-Chairman, The Society launched a Welfare Fund in 1958. A good collection from Members allowed the purchase of a matting pitch, stumps, bats, balls, et cetera to be sent out to the descendants of the mutineers of HMS Bounty. Seven months later, after a perilous sea voyage, the kit arrived off Pitcairn Island to be off-loaded into small boats through mountainous surf, at which point some of the precious kit plunged to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean!
After such a dramatic start, funds were raised at intervals by means of collections at Society matches, personal donations, bequests from Wills and occasional grants from the general funds of The Society.
The gradual growth of the Welfare Fund allowed grants and gifts to be made to youth clubs and cricketing organizations throughout the United Kingdom and in eight other countries. The assistance provided was always modest but valuable to those deserving such help.
What Does The Trust Do?
Since 1987, there has been very generous support of our fund-raising activities by Members and Friends of The Society. More than 2,000 Members at home and abroad are kept in regular touch with our various objectives and grants. We are most grateful for their support and to receive donations by means of cash, Covenants, Gift Aid Vouchers and the Give As You Earn scheme.
This generous support has allowed the Trust to expand its grant-aid to many deserving causes, such as:
Barnet-Coptall Coaching Scheme for the Disabled, Middlesex.
Birmingham Sports and Social Club for the Visually Handicapped.
British Association for Cricketers with Disabilities, Shropshire.
British Sports Association for the Disabled, London.
British Blind Sport, London and Midlands.
Crown and Manor Boys' Club, London.
Gomez Coaching Clinic, Spain.
Guilford Youth Centre, Corfu.
John Passmore Trust, South Africa.
Lincolnshire Schools' Cricket Association.
London Community Cricket Association, London and Arundel.
London Federation of Boys' Clubs.
The Lord 's Taverners.
Mitcham Cricket Club, Surrey.
National Cricket Association.
National Star Centre for Disabled Youth, Gloucestershire.
Pembrokeshire Association of Youth Cricket Coaches.
St. Days Cricket Club, Cornwall.
Zimbabwe Cricket Union.
Cricket Society of Zimbabwe.
This substantial flow of aid has taken the form of cash donations, provision of conventional cricket ground equipment and playing kit, “Kwik Cricket” sets as well as advertising support.
We need to do more to improve and sustain our national game; especially in the area of schools deprived of cricket facilities of any kind.
We tend to “target” specific small projects and problem areas which are not always reached by bigger donors.
Benefits can often be much greater and more appreciated than the money spent indicates.
How Can You Help?
The work of the Trust can progress with confidence from donations:
of cash,
of kit,
by means of Deeds of Covenant for a period of 4 years,
by Gift Aid vouchers,
by Give As You Earn vouchers, via employers.
As a registered charity we can claim repayment of the standard income tax paid in respect of donors' gifts - be the donors private individuals or companies.
Companies in the United Kingdom may obtain details on tax relief by contacting the Inland Revenue for their current leaflets IR64, IR65 and IR113.
For those wishing to help by making a donation to The Cricket Society Trust, please send your cheques or Gift Aid vouchers to:
Mr. K.F.C. Merchant (Secretary),
The Cricket Society Trust,
16, Louise Road,
Rayleigh,
Essex,
SS6 8LW
United Kingdom.
If you require further information and the forms necessary for execution of Deeds of Covenant, please e-mail us.
