ROOKIE coaches from all over Devon have been given a helping hand with their training by the David Shepherd Cricket Trust.

The DCB Coaches Association put nearly 50 coaches through the first module of their training during their 2014-15 programme.

Three separate courses were held two in coaching young people and adults and a third for coaching children.

The courses were run at Plymouth College, West Buckland College in north Devon and the Devon Cricket Centre at Exeter University.

Some assessments have still to be carried out, but the Association expects at least half of the candidates will be qualified by the end of the year.

The David Shepherd Cricket Trust is committed to increasing the coaching community in Devon and subsidises candidates who become Trust members.

It costs individuals just £10 a year to support the work of the Trust, which last year paid out more than £20,000 in grants.

Forty-five of the 48 coaches who went through the training courses run by the DCBCA have paid their tenners to become Trust members.

That means a £4,500 grant to the Coaches Association to defray the costs of the courses.

The David Shepherd Cricket Trust exists to encourage youth cricket at all levels in Devon.

The successful candidates were: Cait O’Keefe, Gemma Lancaster, Paul Birleson, Nick Glanfield, Ollie Hunt, Neave Hayter, David Ackford, Adam Cook, Nick Draper,Claire Varcoe, Hal Kerton, Edward Vereker, Matt Edwards, Joe Berry, Brian Allen, Nalin Chouhan, Sam Farrow, Rex Helston, Reid Mawdsley, James Redwood, Aylish Cranstone, Ali Wright, Matt Blyth, Jamie Drew, Anthony Haywood, Alex Thompson, John Kerridge, Richard Martin, Hugh Stronge, Gary Hutchins, Paul Rendall, Giles Benbow, Andy Bennett, Tom Gidney, John Harrison, Dan Marks, George Orr-Wilcox, Andrew Parsons, Dylan Presswell, Alex Saunders, Bradley Soper, Kieran Squire, Annabel Ware, Sam Witheridge.

To support the work of the Trust by becoming a member, or to find out more about the grants available, visit www.dsct111.org.uk