The Cricketer launches Lockdown Heroes awards to celebrate cricket communities reaction to coronavirus
The Cricketer has launched a series of awards designed to recognise the feats of compassion, generosity and creativity among the cricket community during the coronavirus pandemic.
Nominations for Lockdown Heroes opens today (June 1), giving clubs, players, fans, followers, coaches, teachers, parents and administrators across the country the chance to celebrate those who have made a real difference over the course of the past 10 weeks.
Five categories are up for grabs, including Club Hero, Pro Hero, Social Media Hero, Young Hero and Fundraising Hero.
A hero might be a club stalwart who has kept the outfield from overgrowing during lockdown. A hero might be a county player who has helped deliver food to the vulnerable. A hero might be a child who has raised money for the NHS in their back garden. As long as there is a link to cricket, they are eligible.
Digital editor Sam Morshead said: “We have had so much correspondence from the cricket family over the past 10 weeks, letting us know about the amazing work that has been done in the community over the course of the coronavirus crisis.
“Lockdown Heroes is designed to recognise that kindness, as well as the incredible amounts of money raised for charity, the genius entertainment that has popped up on social media, and the sterling work undertaken by members to ensure their clubs live on beyond this dreadful period.
“It’s a chance for us to highlight and celebrate the very best of the game in this country.”
Everyone who is nominated will get recognition on TheCricketer.com’s Lockdown Heroes Wall, and we’ll run full profiles on all those shortlisted prior to a virtual awards ceremony in July.
Lockdown Hero categories and eligibility criteria
Pro Hero: Open to all professional cricketers, men and women, who have gone over and above during the lockdown to help the cricketing public and the wider world. This might be through their work in the community, for entertaining others via social media and podcasts, for fundraising activities, for volunteering, or other feats of compassion, generosity of spirit and creativity.
Club Hero: Open to all amateur cricketers, men and women, and club members who have gone the extra mile to keep their club ticking during lockdown. This might be maintaining the grounds for free, or finding innovative ways of keeping juniors engaged, or keeping facilities open for much-needed exercise. No effort is too small to deserve recognition.
Fundraising Hero: Open to anyone in the cricket community who has raised money for charity through cricket-focused activities or for cricket-focused causes. They might have run a marathon in full kit, or generated funds to keep a club alive by bathing in baked beans. As long as either the cause or the activity has a cricket theme, we want to hear about their achievements.
Young Hero: Open to anyone under the age of 16 who has made an outstanding contribution during lockdown, either for a cricket-related cause or via a cricket-related activity.
Social Media Hero: Open to creatives on social media who have entertained via their ingenuity. It might be recreations of famous Test moments using feline friends, or entire squads producing clever compilations, it might be TikTok, Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook or YouTube, it might be emotive or just plain silly. Let us know whose ingenuity has helped you pass the time with a smile on your face.
You can find out full details, and nominate your chosen hero, by visiting www.thecricketer.com/lockdownheroes