ECB And Lv= Announce New Fund For Grassroots Cricket

The ECB and LV= General Insurance (LV= GI) have teamed up to launch a new initiative aimed at helping the grassroots cricket community recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The #Funds4Runs initiative  – launched at a virtual event hosted by Isa Guha and Michael Vaughan and with current England player Mark Wood (pictured above) – will see the pair jointly-fund a £1m investment in grassroots cricket, focusing on areas where access to cricket has been limited, including funding for children from deprived backgrounds, diverse communities, disability groups, and women and girls’ programmes.

According to the ECB, the initiative, along with LV=GI’s support, will also help deliver against three of its wider objectives, including its ‘connecting communities’ initiative, as well as increasing the relevance of cricket locally, and growing long-term engagement with the game in those communities.

The fund will also give financial assistance to two current  projects, expanding the existing All Stars programme as well as supporting a new partnership with the British Film Institute. 

That programme will see successful applicants undertake a course led by some of the country’s leading film professionals, to help clubs create create compelling films about their communities as well as equipping them with editing, communication and digital skills.

The successful applicants will receive professional level training to better promote themselves and their club’s activities, as well as training in how to pass knowledge onto other members of their team.

“As an organisation and a sport, we are hugely dependent on the role which cricket clubs play in their local communities,” said Tom Harrison, CEO, ECB. 

“At every level of the game, COVID-19 has presented some of the toughest challenges we’ve ever faced.

“I am both incredibly grateful and proud of the work put in by thousands of volunteers across England and Wales, in order to get the recreational game back on in the summer. What they managed to achieve was outstanding and will be important in helping safeguard the future of our game. 

“However, I am mindful that in many areas the pandemic has taken its toll. That’s why I am really excited that through this new partnership with LV= we will be supporting the areas hit hardest, either through boosting participation or by helping clubs connect with their communities. Both LV= and the ECB are delighted to be working with the BFI to bring the latter to life.” 

Heather Smith, Managing Director of LV= GI added: “The impact of COVID-19 has been felt by everyone and the efforts of the cricket community to get the professional game up and running has been immense.

However, at a local level, cricket has been less readily available or fundamentally more challenging to get involved in due to the pandemic. Having had such a long association with cricket, we felt very conscious of the need to do what we can to help rebuild the lives and future of cricket communities across the UK. 

“Our aim with #Funds4Runs is to support the ECB in connecting communities, building better lives through cricket and increasing the relevance of the sport in traditionally non-cricket communities.

Ultimately this will help engage communities with cricket, either through participation, attendance or support. Community projects like this allow LV= to live out our brand purpose of looking after what you love and furthering our commitment to positive wellbeing, rebuilding communities as well as inclusiveness and togetherness. These values have never been more important than now which is why we’re so delighted to be working with the ECB on this initiative.” 

The ECB Participation and Growth teams will oversee the administration and determine final financial approval. The ECB says it will also work collaboratively with local county cricket boards to ensure priorities in their local areas are met.