England back 'Cricket Against Hunger'

Watch ECBtv video as Kevin Pietersen models the new shirt. "We’re delighted to be able to use our profile as international cricketers to help raise awareness of global hunger"

The England and Wales Cricket Board today announced the England team will wear the ‘Cricket Against Hunger’ logo on the men’s team kit for the duration of the ICC World Twenty20 in England which starts on June 5.

‘Cricket Against Hunger’ is a partnership between the England teams and United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Its aim is to use the global interest in international cricket, and the fan base of the England team, to raise awareness about global hunger.

Since its launch in 2006, players from the England team and England Lions have visited WFP projects whilst on tour in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

During the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy in India, four England players (Ashley Giles, Jon Lewis, Ed Joyce and Rikki Clarke) met a group of children who benefit from UNWFP school feeding programmes in Rajasthan. The meeting gave the cricket players an insight into the challenges facing children from one of the poorest and most marginalised sectors of Indian society.

In February 2007, members of the England Lions visited WFP school feeding projects near the town of Bogra in Bangladesh before playing a match with local schoolboys in front of a crowd of several thousand children. The England players also donated funds, raised through running a charity training session, to cover the costs of a year’s supply of nutritional biscuits for 300 local school children.

Ahead of the 2007 Test Match in Galle, Sri Lanka, members of the England team, including Kevin Pietersen, Alastair Cook, Michael Vaughan and Matt Prior, organised and ran a coaching session for local children who were part of a UNWFP school-feeding programme.

Paul Collingwood, England captain for the ICC World Twenty20, said: ”We’re very proud to have the Cricket Against Hunger logo on our shirts.

“I look back with very fond memories to the coaching session we ran in Galle. It is experiences like these that stick with you as an international cricketer and I look forward to having the opportunity to work closely with the United Nations World Food Programme on future tours.”

Kevin Pietersen added: “I know I speak of behalf of the whole squad when I say we’re delighted to be able to use our profile as international cricketers to help raise awareness of global hunger especially in these economically tough times.”

England World Twenty20 captain Paul Collingwood takes part in a coaching session for Sri Lankan school children in 2007

Hugh Morris - managing director, England Cricket - said: “The credit for this initiative has to lie with the players themselves.

“They understand the wider responsibilities of being an England cricketer and were very keen to use the ICC World Twenty20 in England as an opportunity to raise awareness of an initiative they have been involved with since 2006.

“On behalf of everyone involved in England Cricket I would also like to thank Vodafone and adidas for their support in helping bring this to life.”

Caroline Hurford, WFP spokesperson in UK, said: "As accomplished sportsmen, the England players are in a unique position to influence public opinion and focus attention on issues such as hunger - and we're delighted that they are ready to lend us their support."

With the Twenty20 series ushering in a whole summer of the game, the unveiling of these ‘Cricket Against Hunger’ shirts is a great opportunity to get cricket-lovers interested in WFP's challenging mission - to provide food assistance to millions of the world's hungry, especially children.