On Sunday 17th October, Somerset Cricket Foundation recognised volunteers from across Somerset for their contribution to club cricket as they celebrated the 2021 Grassroots Cricket Awards.
Over 130 people attended the event in the County Room at the Cooper Associates County Ground, where they were formally welcomed and thanked by Jon Bendle, Managing Director of Somerset Cricket Foundation for their outstanding contribution to grassroots cricket in the county.
Rebecca Pow MP, the wife of the late Charles Clark (former Chair of Somerset County Cricket Club), also thanked the volunteers before announcing a £7000 donation to Somerset Cricket Foundation from a memorial game played in the summer at Stoke St Mary CC in Charles’s memory.
The event was expertly compared by Spencer Bishop of Somerset County Cricket Club. He was also joined by special guests Andy Hurry (Director of Cricket at Somerset CCC) and Sophie Luff (Somerset, Western Storm and Welsh Fire). Both professionals took part in a fascinating question & answer session which saw them speak passionately about the volunteers who inspired them.
Community Programmes Manager Steve Gass, presented on two of the flagship programmes which the Foundation run, The ‘Wellbeing Champion’ Programme and ‘Super 1’s’. Steve gave great insight to these programmes and the impact they are having before thanking several volunteers for their part in the programmes. Steve also recognised Linda Curtis for 25 years of service to Somerset Disabled CC as club scorer.
The event finished with a presentation to Andy Curtis to recognise his outstanding contribution to cricket in Somerset who retired as Chair of Somerset Foundation after 13 years in post.
A huge thank you must go to all the volunteers who give their time to clubs’ and/or leagues’, as without them cricket would not be flourishing in Somerset. Thank you for all you do!
Congratulations to those who were nominated for an award and to all our winners who are listed below:
ECB Coach Awards 2021 Winners
Young Coach of the Year- Dominique Creedy, Wembdon CC
Coach of the Year- Tom Garner, Huntspill & District CC
Outstanding Contribution, Services to Coaching- Darrell Vickery
ECB Grassroots Cricket Awards 2021
Connecting Communities
Winners- Knowle Cricket Club
Rising Star Award
Nominees- Oliver Morris & Amelia James
Winner – Oliver Morris, Winscombe CC
Cricket Innovator
Nominees- Jake Rowe, Sarah Watts & Tyler Fagan
Winner – Sarah Watts, Claverham CC
Game Changer
Nominees- Callum Watts, Dominique Creedy, Henry Hunt, Joe Syvret, Josh Rodd, Kruz Belcher, Layton Hucker, Tilly Bond, Tom Garner & Trinity Hales
Winner – Layton Hucker, Wembdon CC
Inspired to play
Nominees- Bronwen Williams, Olivia Wilkinson, Dom Mayo, Erin Smith, Hannah Hughes, Jennie Webb, Kerry James & Lee Godfrey
Winner – Jennie Webb, Midsomer Norton CC- Award collected by Charlotte Phillips
Growing the Game
Nominees- Kevin Messenger, Phil Griffiths & Tobias Bishop
Winner – Phil Griffiths, Chard CC – Award collected by Richard Evans
Unsung hero
Nominees- Chris Twort, Colin Barlow, Colyn Cross, Donna Hibbert, Edgar Herridge, Emma Cox, Hajeet Awlak, John Lambert, Jon Godden, Jon Randall, Keith Tooze, Lorraine Warren, Nigel Contreras, Stuart Kearns, Cris Taylor, Tom Fowler & Warren Smith
Winner- Cris Taylor, Kilve CC
Lifetime achiever
Nominees- Amanda Counsell, David Barton, Fred Maidment, Graeme King, Jill Champion, Keith Woodman, Robert Hale, Roy Takle, Sam Vickery, Steve Vowles, Steve Windaybank, Stuart Champion, Kevin Porter, Robert Young & Tommy Acock
Winner – Keith Woodman, Taunton Deane CC
