CHURCH Stretton Cricket Club have bowled over cricket-loving pupils at a local primary school by donating free equipment to help them enjoy the game even more.
Rushbury Primary School has received the surplus equipment from Church Stretton CC, which is celebrating its centenary year this season.
It comes as part of an effort by the club to increase junior participation in the sport, including the ECB’s All Stars and Dynamos programmes currently being held at its Russell’s Meadow ground.
Steve Morris, headteacher at Rushbury, which is also marking a landmark year this year by way of its bi-centenary, said: “We’re delighted to receive this generous donation.
“Pupils will now be able to focus on practicing their cricket skills and enjoy what is very much our summer sport.
“I’d like to thank everyone at Church Stretton Cricket Club for thinking of us when donating this kit and I wish them well in their centenary season.”
Andy Dixon, vice-chairman of Church Stretton CC, said getting youngsters involved with the club was one of the main aims during the centenary year.
He added: “I was really pleased to be able to present Steve with the equipment, which is surplus from our successful All Stars and Dynamos courses.
“We want to make Church Stretton Cricket Club somewhere youngsters in the area want to come and learn the skills of the game and working with local schools is very much the way to achieve this.
“I hope the equipment proves popular and who knows, we might even find the next England superstar coming from Rushbury Primary School!”
Cricket Shropshire’s Director of Schools and Youth Cricket Sacha Lee said: “This is a fabulous idea and great work by Church Stretton.
“If any other clubs have spare kit, they can either arrange to donate it to a local school themselves, or get in touch with the Board and we can help them find a suitable recipient.”
Clubs can email the Board via admin@shropshirecricketboard.co.uk
Church Stretton Cricket Club is still facilitating the All Stars and Dynamos programmes for those aged 5-11. Visit https://www.ecb.co.uk/play/all-stars or https://www.ecb.co.uk/play/dynamoscricket for more details.
The club will also be hosting the first Shropshire Dynamos festival on July 11.
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