PCT overwhelmed as pleas for mental health help multiply

SIMON HUGHES: More than 100 former and current players have submitted a request for assistance, a threefold increase in five years

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The Professional Cricketers Trust, the charity that helps players with their mental health, is struggling to cope with the number of applications for support from former or current players.

There have been over 100 individuals requesting help in the past year – a threefold increase in five years – and a cumulative 563 therapy sessions were provided by the PCT.

One player needed residential care after being considered a suicide risk. Yet, because of the pandemic restricting fund-raising events, the charity is facing a massive deficit (£150,000) in its available funds.

"We might have to ration what we can do," said Ian Thomas, the charity’s director told The Daily Telegraph. "That’s a tough place to be, isn’t it? When somebody needs help and you say, ‘We can only give you this amount of support.’"

We have created a virtual cricket club that donates its proceeds to the PCT. So far the likes of Joe Root, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Jos Buttler and Andrew Strauss have been our guests.

Sir Ian Botham is due to appear exclusively in the club on Thursday (February 4) to talk about his life, look ahead to the India v England tour and answer ‘audience’ questions, all in aid of the charity’s funds.

The event also hosted by Simon Mann, will last an hour and there is also a signed Botham portrait to auction. It is £5 to join this one-off event (all proceeds to the PCT) at 7 pm by clicking here

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