Monty Panesar
The former England spinner on how cricket can help tragedies like the Grenfell Tower fire
FORMER England spinner Monty Panesar has urged cricket fans to help charities and get involved with the world famous Lashings All-Stars.
Panesar, 35, is playing regularly alongside the likes of Tino Best, Martin Bicknell and Devon Malcolm for the selfdescribed ‘Harlem Globetrotters of cricket’ as they tour the country this summer raising money for clubs and charities.
And they have added Grenfell Tower to their list of associated charities, already raising over £5,000 to help those affected in last month’s fire.
But it’s more than just handing over the cash. A Lashings event benefits the club where it is hosted, with Dartford, Copdock & Old Ipswichian and Charterhouse School all recently welcoming the team of superstars.
And Panesar, who took 167 wickets in 50 Tests for the Three Lions, explained how being involved with Lashings is helping all involved.
The left-arm spinner said: “It’s good to see us raising money for charity. There were unfortunate events at Grenfell Tower, and our turnaround to raise cash for that is great.
“Cricket is helping because we are taking the game to remote areas and club cricket where they don’t get first-class cricketers or international players to interact with, so to get that opportunity for them is great, and it gives the clubs opportunity to get involved with more charities too.
“All the money adds up, and there are always people around that want to get involved in charitable causes. This is an easy way to do it. Come to a Lashings game, whatever you can donate, or enter the raffles and do the auction so you get something like playing with international cricketers from it too.
“Come along and interact. It helps the club, it helps kids, helps the parents and is good inspiration. Grenfell is something we can all relate to, but we can also all come together, raise money and give people the opportunity to help.
“The UK have come together over the past few weeks and months with the events in London, Manchester and of course Grenfell Tower and it’s very important we continue to do that.
Lashings have already held a charity match against a House of Commons & Lords team, while a portion of money raised from each match they hold is going to the Grenfell Tower victims
Former West Indies opener, and one of Lashings many AllStars, Gordon Greenidge said: “We were as horrified as everyone else by this story.We all felt we had to do something and that’s why we were delighted to agree to play against the House of Commons & Lords.”
It’s not just Lashings doing their best to raise funds for the sufferers of that fire with MCC, together with Middlesex, joining together to donate £15,000 to help support the victims.
MCC’s contribution of £10,000 has been donated from proceeds raised at the CEO Sleepout which it hosted at Lord’s in late 2016, to help raise money and increase awareness of homelessness in the UK to the The Kensington & Chelsea Foundation.
And the reigning county champions, Middlesex, got together to raise an additional £5,000 to help those in need.
Derek Brewer, MCC’s chief executive, said: “What has happened at Grenfell Tower is heartbreaking, and the thoughts of us all at MCC and Middlesex are with the victims and families involved in this terrible tragedy.
“Both clubs treat community engagement as a real priority, and through our work with the inspirational CEO Sleepout charity, MCC wanted to come together with our colleagues at Middlesex to help. For Middlesex players to respond in this way speaks volumes about how everyone at Lord’s takes pride in our local area.”