The 2022 Grassroots Cricket Awards have been announced with winners across 11 categories honoured across recreational cricket.
Helen Smith won the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award after devoting 47 years of voluntary service to her Plymouth-based club.
Smith was club secretary for more than 20 years and carried out many more volunteer roles and was highly influential in the club’s move to the new Manadon Sports hub, where she was at the forefront of the collaboration with the Argyle Trust, Devon Cricket Board and ECB.
This year’s awards included a new award – Tackling Climate Change – which was won by Warwickshire club Fillongley CC.
The club embedded biodiversity in all parts of their community-wide project, which included planting hedges and trees to mitigate and reduce the risk of flooding in the village, with further steps to plant a wildflower meadow and create insect habitats.
The full list of winners for each award and those who were Highly Commended is listed below:
Rising Star:
A young volunteer making a difference – 11-16-year-olds
Winner: Kelsey Savage, Galleywood Cricket Club – Essex
Highly Commended: Liam Gillespie, Warwickshire; Sam Wells, Swanage CC – Dorset
Connecting Communities:
A club or community organisation which has gone above and beyond the call of cricket to support communities/groups coming back to the game we love.
Winner: Martin Taylor, Copdock & Old Ipswichians CC – Suffolk
Highly Commended: Nathan Musselwhite, The Mulligan Club – Derbyshire; Wellington CC – Shropshire
Inspired to Play:
An Individual or group within your club or community organisation going above and beyond to open the game up to new audiences.
Winner: Ray Bell, Stockport Georgians CC – Cheshire
Highly Commended: Josh Buxton, Calder Grove CC – Yorkshire; Anthony Cox, Sidmouth CC – Devon
Game Changer:
A young volunteer 17-25-year-olds making a difference in the game.
Winner: Alfie Shenton, Bagnall Norton CC – Staffordshire
Highly Commended: James Warburton, Christleton CC – Cheshire; Ben Hughes, Warwickshire CCB – Warwickshire
Unsung Hero:
Those heroes who impact our game and help us make cricket happen – from ground staff, coaches, officials, umpires to other volunteers.
Winner: Nasar Hussain, Dream Big Aim High CIC – Yorkshire
Highly Commended: Ben Fisher, Fulmer CC – Buckinghamshire; Scott Hedley, Raby Castle – Durham
Growing the Game:
A league volunteer, committee member, or administrator going above and beyond to support clubs and help increase the number of games played.
Winner: Susan Blogg, Met Essex District Area – Essex
Highly Commended: Jon Boaden, Andrew Goldsborough & Joe Boaden, Newcastle CC – Northumberland; Sarah Mcann, Cheshire Women’s Cricket League – Cheshire
Lifetime Achiever:
That one individual who has given many years of service to their club or community group that those clubs/community groups could not do without.
Winner: Helen Smith, Devon Women’s Cricket League – Devon
Highly Commended: Ted Robinson, Waddington CC – Lincolnshire; Barrie Cox, Whiston Parish Church CC – Yorkshire; Sandra Richardson, Falmouth – Cornwall
Cricket Innovators:
Someone who has brought new ideas and/or implemented new systems to improve their club or community group.
Winner: Bernard Thorne, Neston CC – Cheshire
Highly Commended: Khalid Sadiq, Warwickshire CC – Warwickshire; Stoke Green CC – Buckinghamshire
Safehands Award:
An individual that has gone above and beyond to create a positive environment for young people to enjoy the game.
Winner: Cleethorpes CC
Highly Commended: Enville CC – Staffordshire
Tackling Climate Change:
A club or community organisation that is addressing the threat climate change poses to cricket, by making sustainable changes to operations, adapting their facilities and/or engaging their local community.
Winner: Fillongley CC – Warwickshire
Highly Commended: Eight Ash Green CC – Essex; Rob Combes, Bewdley CC – Worcestershire
Volunteer Grounds Management Team of the Year:
This award Recognises those volunteers who are making a real difference at clubs. Those who are working hard and improving the places where the game is played.
Winner: Sam Wells, Swanage CC – Dorset
Highly Commended: Paul Borrett & Colin Whurr, Norwich CC – Norfolk; Shane Sweeting, Riddings CC – Derbyshire