Sussex tell fans: We’ll keep... Together Through This Test
Sussex Cricket is playing a full part in a nationwide campaign to show how the sport is helping fans and others get through the coronavirus pandemic.
The county are staging a wide range of initiatives – some cricket-based, some not – to help different sections of the community while the nation’s lockdown continues.
The message of the campaign is urging people to be patient and see out the pandenic – and wait for the day cricket, and plenty more in normal life, returns.
Nationally the campaign features an emotional short film, narrated by cricket fan Stephen Fry, who pays tribute to the response of the cricket family to the pandemic and thanks fans for their patience.
And the ECB has created an online hub bringing together resources to support the game and the nation
Sussex Cricket’s initiatives are many and varied. They include:
■ Running ‘Sporting Memories’ sessions via Zoom with volunteers making regular phone calls to participants in need of a chat or some company.
■ Staff learning new skills such as community coaches learning Hindi so they can better communicate with Street Cricket participants.
■ A launch of a Children’s Activity Book for teachers, coaches, carers and children at home to help keep children active, engaged and entertained.
■ The Sussex Cricket Foundation running club webinars for affiliated clubs in Sussex each week, with more than 100 participants each time.
■ Support for more than 50 clubs across Sussex in securing in excess of £350,000 from the government and Sport England.
■ Sussex Cricket Foundation supporting the inaugural Specsavers Virtual Sussex Schools Games.
■ A ‘Sussex Trumps’ game for those to enjoy while stuck at home to help pass the time.
■ Old matches being shown on YouTube for supporters to re-live and enjoy while at home.
■ A Pathway programme migrated to various virtual platforms including Zoom for strength and conditioning sessions, a Pathway app for tracking of trainingsession performance within their own home, and Zoom webinars with former Sussex players to help continue the development of the next generation of Sussex heroes.
■ Wicket and innings World Cups on social media for supporters to vote for and crown a winner of each.
■ Sussex Cricket holding virtual Members’ Forums via Zoom to address concerns and continue providing updates.
A statement from the 1st Central County Ground said: “Sussex Cricket is proud to be a part of the nationwide ‘Together Through This Test’ campaign, which has been launched to shine a light on how the cricket family has reached out to local communities during Covid-19.
“The campaign will highlight some of the unsung heroes from across the professional and recreational game, as well as providing updates on, and launching new, cricket-led initiatives that the general public can get involved in to help support their local community.
“More than 200 campaigns have already been launched across cricket in England and Wales from volunteers at local clubs embarking on long-distance charity runs to players, coaches and staff at first-class counties phoning members to check on their wellbeing.”
The launch of Together Through This Test marks the collective response of cricket at all levels with a powerful short film, narrated by cricket fan Stephen Fry that underlines the unique quality of a game where patience and digging in for the greater good is a virtue installed within all who play, watch and enjoy the sport.