With the 2018 cricket season fast approaching the David Shepherd Cricket Trust is looking to see how it can help our game prosper and reach as many young people it can with its values and the fun and enjoyment it offers. The Trust is here to encourage young people to play the game and to ensure that, through financial assistance and encouragement, it is open to all who want to learn and play. The aim of the Trust is to assist Devon youth and to fill funding gaps to enable the game to prosper at all junior levels to support the great game of cricket in Devon both now and for the future.

Merging the Devon Youth Cricket Foundation with the David Shepherd Cricket Foundation 3 years ago to form the David Shepherd Cricket Trust has proved to be an excellent move providing the cricketing family of Devon with one cricket charity on which it can depend for the support of youth cricket. The Trustees aim to deliver about £20Ks worth of grants per year, a challenge that requires serious fund raising and growing the membership base. The Trustees firmly believe that the more members the Trust has the better for the cricket community in Devon: This is why the Trust asks those that ask for a grant to provide new members.

The Trust has uses roughly one half of its annual budget to support elite junior cricket for both boys and girls where no ECB funding is provided and as to the other half for cricket clubs and schools particularly in encouraging coaching and formation of youth sections. As a special one off project, the Trust recently completed a program of providing club youth sections with new helmets that meet the ECB safety standards – “The Helmet Offer”. The Trust recognises the considerable extra costs which modern equipment demands bring to our game in this area. This proved to be a significant benefit for club youth sections in Devon.

The Trust receives applications throughout the year and the winter can be far busier than the summer with Clubs promoting coaching programs and new coaches going through training course or existing coaches moving up a level. Grants are given to enable these courses to be run and for coaches to improve their skills. Coaches and coaching is recognised as particularly important and the dedication and commitment of mature cricketers in introducing the game and improving skills is vital and appreciated by the Trustees. It is the life blood of the future of the game.

The Trust is reliant on the generosity of a strong membership: New members are vital to the Trust and its work – so please join! Yearly or monthly contributions can be enhanced by the benefit of Gift Aid. We are also most appreciative of those who have gone out of their way, and their comfort zone to raise funds for the charity. Together these marvellous people provide sufficient funds for the Trust to contribute at all youth levels of the great game of cricket in Devon.

The Trust does not forget its two Patrons, the ever-youthful Chris Read and the England Women’s captain Heather Knight. Having these two fine and very active people associated with the Trust is fantastic.

We look forward to a great 2018 cricket season and wish each and every one of you a most pleasant summer – And, as you think about the great game, why not become a 111 member? Details of that and lots other matters are on our website at www.dsct111.org.uk