This summer Durham Cricket is aiming to make Seat Unique Riverside one of the most inclusive and accessible venues in the country.
With a number of improvements to the stadium’s facilities already underway, such as the addition of a changing places space, sensory room, hearing loops and multifaith space, the Club are also partnering with a number of organisations and charities to expand their reach in the community.
Partnering with Durham Pride, Young Asian Voices, Poverty Hurts and The Chloe and Liam Together Forever Trust, as well as its own Foundation and other local charities the club is planning to use this summer’s T20 Blast season as a catalyst for reaching a wider audience, highlighting issues in the local community and raising much needed funds for local charities.
The Club will be partnering with the organisations on a number of initiatives which will include training for Durham staff, engagement with each organisation’s initiatives from first team to office staff and dedicating T20 Blast games to raise awareness and funds for the organisations.
The Blast season gets underway on 29 May against Notts Outlaws and the game will be dedicated to Pride. The bank holiday Monday fixture comes at the end of the Durham Pride weekend and the club is hoping to extend the Pride celebrations and welcome everyone down to celebrate the start of the T20 cricket season and the Clubs new partnership with Durham Pride when it hosts its first Pride in Cricket game. The Club are working with officials from Durham Pride to make the game as fun and inclusive as possible for everyone and they are hoping for a carnival of colour to end the bank holiday weekend and Pride celebrations.
Later in the season the club is hoping to bring together people from every community in the North East and is working with Young Asian Voices, whom with they have carried out work in the community for a number of years, to put together a fun filled evening on Friday 16 June.
Other games across the summer will be dedicated to charities and issues such as Poverty Hurts who help to raise much needed funds to support food banks in the area and help people get through the cost of living crisis and The Chloe and Liam Together Forever Trust who the club worked with last year and raise money to inspire and support children to achieve and reach their full potential through the love of sport and performance.
Durham Crickets Director of Cricket, Marcus North said “We are delighted to be working with some fantastic organisations across the North East to promote the diversity and accessibility of Cricket at Durham and to raise awareness and funds to support organisations that are helping both individuals and communities across the region. We are keen to use the power of sport to raise awareness and expose people to social issues they might otherwise not be aware of or have the opportunity to engage with. Along with the upgrades to our facilities and entertainment offering we are hoping to make this season our most exciting yet and reach a wider audience than ever before.”
The Club is set to announce a full schedule for the coming Blast season but more information about each of the organisations and this seasons T20 Blast fixtures can be found below. Tickets and season tickets are on sale now at www.durhamcricket.co.uk. T20 Blast match tickets are currently available with an early bird discount just enter BLAST15 at checkout for 15% off.
Durham Pride – www.durhamprideuk.org
Young Asian Voices – www.youngasianvoices.co.uk
Poverty Hurts – www.cdcf.org.uk/making-a-difference/
The Chloe and Liam Together Forever Trust – www.togetherforevertrust.com
Durham Cricket Foundation – https://www.durhamcricket.co.uk/foundation/
DURHAM T20 BLAST FIXTURES 2023
Monday 29 May – Notts Outlaws – Pride in Cricket
Friday 02 June – Lancashire Lightning – Durham Cricket in support of The Chloe and Liam Together Forever Trust and Women’s and Girls Cricket / Schools offer
Sunday 04 June – Leicestershire Foxes – Durham Cricket Foundation Day
Tuesday 06 June – Northants Steelbacks
Friday 16 June – Derbyshire Falcons – Celebrating Young Asian Voices
Tuesday 20 June – Birmingham Bears
Friday 23 June – Yorkshire Vikings – Durham Cricket supporting Poverty Hurts