Gloucestershire players do their bit

Gloucestershire captain Alex Gidman will visit Hatherley and Reddings CC tomorrow along with Vikram Banerjee and Richard Coughtrie

Gloucestershire are sending their players around the county this weekend, and they could be at one of your local cricket clubs.

The club's official NatWest CricketForce weekend - on April 9-10 - would clash with their opening match of the season, so to ensure their involvement in this worthy cause they will help some local clubs with the initiative this weekend.

The ECB initiative is celebrating its 10th year and in previous years has seen more than 1,500 clubs take part annually and an estimated 85,000 volunteers. It is aimed at rejuvenating local cricket clubs and giving volunteers an opportunity to get involved.

Several members of the Gloucestershire squad are visiting local clubs across the county to help with their volunteering weekend. All the cricket clubs in the region were invited to inform Gloucestershire of their plans for NatWest CricketForce and the club have allocated players to visit the major projects.

Gloucestershire players Ian Saxelby, Ian Cockbain and David Wade will be visiting Apperley CC, who have big plans for this weekend and will have a variety of tasks for the players to help with from building a new bowling machine stand to painting the church pews in front of the pavilion.

Mark Williamson, Apperley first team captain, said: "NatWest CricketForce allows us to get all the jobs done that would never get done otherwise and it is great to have NatWest volunteers supporting us as well as club members."

Alex Gidman, Vikram Banerjee and Richard Coughtrie will be visiting Hatherley and Reddings CC to help them prepare for the start of the new season.

Andrew Marson, Hatherley and Reddings CC NatWest CricketForce organiser, said: “NatWest CricketForce is key in kick-starting the season by getting players, supporters, friends, wives etc. back into the club after the winter break and getting them thinking about, and enjoying, the club atmosphere.”

In Bristol, Carsons and Mangotsfield CC are being visited by Chris Dent and Jack Taylor. They will be invited to help with the cricket club’s long list of tasks involved with their moving to a new ground at Pomphrey Hill playing fields.

Andrew King, Carsons & Mangotsfield CC NatWest CricketForce organiser, said: “NatWest Cricket Force is important to our club as it brings us all together to focus us on moving to our fantastic new ground for 2011.”

Anyone willing to spare a few hours this weekend or on the April 9 and 10 to help your local club please email your details to natwestcricketforce@ecb.co.uk.