LV= Insurance Pride of Cricket Awards 2023: Vote for your Community Hero

The Pride of Cricket Awards judging panel has whittled the entry list down to a shortlist of six names. Read their nominations and vote for your favourite…

Dozens of entries were received for the LV= Community Hero award for 2023.

The Pride of Cricket Awards judging panel has whittled the entry list down to a shortlist of six names.

Voting is open until Monday, July 31, 2023 at 4pm.

THE SHORTLIST

Sam Moss, Calmore Sports/Wicketz

Mohamed Ismail, IPSCOL CC

James Watson, Heathfield School

Tanvir Ahamed, London Tigers

Peter Brearley, Bishopston CC

Richard Budd, Long Melford CC

VOTE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY HERO: CLICK HERE

Sam Moss, Calmore Sports/Wicketz

Sam is the Southampton development officer for Wicketz: a cricket programme to support young people, especially those living in areas with high levels of deprivation. 

The programme provides weekly cricket sessions, festivals, residentials and workshops which teach vital life skills, and since beginning his role Sam has engaged over 100 participants, some of which he has seen every week for the last five years. 

He aims to give everyone the opportunity to access sport including those who would normally be limited by financial, travel and language barriers.

Before Sam ran Wicketz, the participants had not had access to cricket coaching or even a safe space to play regularly. 

Sam runs weekly girl's cricket sessions, which have introduced many girls to the sport and has offered them a friendly environment for them to be active.

He runs over six weekly cricket sessions for young people in their communities. This includes hardball cricket, where equipment is provided for those who are unable to buy it, removing the finance barrier and allowing young people to play where they would otherwise be unable to.

One of the Wicketz participants, Sara, said: "Sam creates a family environment with all his sessions. This has even led to parents becoming involved in the sessions through coaching and umpiring. Many parents help out at the sessions, car share and spread the word about the success of Wicketz.

"Sam is the heart and soul of the Southampton Wicketz programme and is an excellent role model for young people. 

"Everyone at Wicketz would love to see Sam win this. We truly believe there is no one who deserves it more and would love to see his hard work and dedication recognised."

Mohamed Ismail, IPSCOL CC

Mohamed setup Ipswich & Colchester Cricket Club (IPSCOL CC) in 2020 along with two co-founders, looking to bring together cricketing minds for a mutually rewarding experience for players of any age or skills.

IPSCOL has grown to boast three teams for the 2023 season, and has already achieved success on the pitch, including the 2021 Two Counties Sunday League title, and the LMS Colchester crown in 2022.

The club prides itself on its local roots and has a mission statement to help make the community a better place. 

It now boasts over 100 members, runs a junior section including an All Stars programme, and has engaged in a series of community initiatives including: outreach to IT and medical professionals to bring new players to the game, attempts to seed cricket back into villages where involvement in the game has lapsed, working with the University of Essex to encourage students to play cricket, promotion of an LMS franchise in Essex and Suffolk which now includes 25-plus teams, and running local cricket carnivals.

Mohamed has committed himself wholly to the task, going through online and in-person courses to ensure ECB compliances in a host of areas, including safeguarding, coaching and junior activation.

His teammate, Hemant Patel, said: "This is a massive list for any club in existence for a decade, but to achieve it two or three years since inception, and getting a community into amateur cricket, Mohamed is our nomination for Community Hero."

James Watson, Heathfield School

Set in a disadvantaged area, James and his Heathfield colleagues are well aware that for the vast majority of pupils, the only experience of sport and physical activity takes place at school.

Sports provision at Heathfield, a larger than average primary school with a higher than average level of children from ethnic minority backgrounds, has been transformed under the leadership of PE coordinator James. 

Over the past 12 months, James has seen 12 girls move onto the Middlesex pathway, while five boys have taken part in Hounslow Borough trials. 

Both boys and girls became borough champions, while several notable victories have come against considerable clubs in the local area. Both have reached the National Finals of the Chance to Shine Street competitions.

The FUEL programme run during school holidays for free school meals children has been highlighted as an example for the rest of the region to follow, while James has been sent into local schools by the ECB to promote the game.

James has focused on using cricket to motivate children from disadvantaged areas to improve their life skills and chances in 'thrive sessions' (a Covid recovery programme). 

The programme supports every child to achieve their personal best in PE, in school and in life.

Tanvir Ahamed, London Tigers

Tanvir is the heart of London Tigers Cricket Club and its local community. 

He has been the primary coach for the Tigers for 10 years, motivating and inspiring 1,000s of young people through cricket. 

Tanvir develops players from softball to hardball cricket, taking those with the potential through into a Colts league. A popular figure in the community, he leads cricket training in winter and summer, including the All Stars and Dynamos programmes.

His work extends into local schools, where he plays a role in coaching age-group teams, and he is the administrator of the London Tigers holiday camps, which has seen a threefold increase in participation under his watch. 

 Also helps the local high schools to develop school-aged group teams for school competitions.

"He has created an environment where boys and girls can thrive and enjoy crickets," his clubmate, Ibrahim Ansar, said.

"Tanvir is the reason why the London Tigers cricket club is currently thriving. Without his hard work and dedication, young people and adult cricketers could not have achieved their goals."

Aside from his coaching and mentoring responsibilities, Tanvir also acts as groundsman for the junior and senior teams at London Tigers, and is a regular umpire for the colts. Somewhere in between all that, he finds time to run the admin for the club, processing piles of paperwork. 

Peter Brearley, Bishopston CC

Peter started the girls' section at Bishopston CC in 2022, and within 12 months has grown membership to more than 60.

Under-11s, under-13s and under-15s are catered for (there is even a waiting list for the under-13 section), and none of it would have been possible without Peter's tireless efforts.

Over the winter just gone, the club set up a girls' net session for the first time, with 20 attending each week.

Peter has ensured a steady flow of interested youngsters thanks to his initiative to go into local schools and form strong links with Bishopston.

"His cheery outgoing nature make him a natural front of house for the club and his engagement with parents and general club engagement should not be underestimated," his nominator, Neil Pope, said.

"Bishopston is in a far stronger place than before as a result of having Peter within our club."

Richard Budd, Long Melford CC

Richard was the welfare officer and academy organiser for Long Melford CC for 25 years. 

The club believes very strongly in bringing up youth players through the academy and into the adult teams, and without Richard organising and advertising the pathway, it wouldn't be what it is today. 

The weight of work required of Richard includes piles of paperwork, fixture organisation, arranging Kwik Cricket tournaments, liaising with parents and guardians, and coaching.

He is a big reason why Long Melford continue to engage and encourage young cricketers in the region.