Kent Cricket have announced the merger of its hugely successful and respected Community Team with the Club’s charitable arm, the recently re-branded Kent Cricket Foundation, formerly the Kent Cricket Community Trust.
As part of the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB)’s Governance Framework and drive for greater accountability for standards across the game, the merger will see the Kent Cricket Foundation adopt and build on the following strategic objectives:
- Inspire children and young people through cricket
- Develop and enhance cricket facilities
- Inspire, train and reward the cricket workforce
- Transform the game for women and girls
- Advance cricket across South East London
- Enable a thriving, participant centred club and league network
- Develop and grow community outreach initiatives
The Kent Cricket Foundation will have a separate board of Trustees to the Kent Cricket Board, comprising of trustees nominated by Kent Cricket and independent charity trustees.
Kent Cricket will become the sole member of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), being the legal charitable entity under which the Kent Cricket Foundation is established.
The Kent Cricket Foundation will now be funded separately from the Club, including centrally via the ECB under its Central Partnership Agreement (2.0 Recreational Game), Chance to Shine Foundation, Lord’s Taverners and the ACE Programme Charity.
The Foundation will continue its already established charitable fundraising activities via Local Authorities, HM Government funded bodies, such as Sport England, and other charitable foundations and grant giving bodies.
Outgoing Kent Cricket CEO, Simon Storey said: “I have been working towards this merger for much of my time as CEO of the Club and I am delighted to have been able to complete this project on the last day in my capacity as CEO.
“Together with the great team that Head of Community, James Reid, has built within Kent Cricket to deliver support to the grassroots game across the county, I know that this major part of what Kent Cricket is all about is in safe hands and that the Foundation will further ensure that ‘Together, we are Kent’.”
The Kent Cricket Foundation’s Chair of Trustees, Stuart Butler-Gallie added: “A lot of thought and planning has gone into getting the right structure for Kent Cricket.
“We must ensure that the Kent Cricket Foundation can deliver the key objectives of making cricket diverse, inclusive and accessible, transforming Women’s and Girls’ cricket and connecting communities through the game of cricket.
“This will enable Kent Cricket’s Board to focus on developing a thriving and sustainable men’s and women’s professional game. I would personally like to thank Simon Storey for his efforts and support in getting to today’s reorganised structure as a fantastic platform for growth.”
Head of Community Cricket, James Reid said: “This is a really exciting time to now have the structure and focus to build out what has become a £1.2m+ charity through this merger.
“We have a clear strategy to make a real difference to growing and uniting the game of cricket across Kent and South East London.
“There is a lot to do, but I am delighted to have the team and resources available to deliver an ambitious strategic plan for recreational and community cricket and to have the support of a trustee board with a depth of experience and commitment to help the Kent Cricket Foundation succeed.”