Bat For A Chance (“BFAC”) has recently partnered-up with Energy and Virgin Atlantic as part of an exciting program of kit donations scheduled for 2022 across the world, starting with Barbados, ahead of the January West Indies v England T20 games at the Kensington Oval. The kit donations will be overseen by the charity’s global ambassador, Barbadian-born England player Chris Jordan, The Roland Butcher Academy, and with assistance from Cricket West Indies (CWI).
Courtesy of sponsor Energy and the support of Virgin Atlantic and global freight and supply chain experts The Woodland Group, the charity will be providing kit to girls who would otherwise not have access to the sport at Springer Memorial Secondary Girls School, Christ Church Girls Primary School, and to the University of the West Indies Female Cricket Team in Barbados, through local partners, former Middlesex and England batsman Roland Butcher and Cricket West Indies. The presentation was made on Monday at the Sir Garfield Sobers statue at Kensington Oval, with representatives from Cricket West Indies, Barbados Cricket Association, Virgin Atlantic and the British High Commission.
Energy, a leading manufacturer of construction equipment, has sponsored the purchase of the kit to be donated in Barbados alongside equipment collected for Bat For A Chance by Sussex Cricket Foundation. Energy CEO Kevin Morris said “Energy are delighted to support this coming-together of companies and people looking to do something positive through sport. It’s a really exciting project to be involved with and all credit to Will for making it happen”.
Paul Fallon, Head of Commercial at Virgin Cargo, who was joined by some of Virgin Atlantic’s cabin crew to participate in the kit handover said “We couldn’t be more thrilled to announce our partnership with Bat For A Chance to bring our expertise in transporting cargo to such a worthy project. At Virgin Atlantic, our purpose is to empower everyone to take on the world and use our business as a force for good, through our communities, our people, and our partners. Partnering with Bat For A Chance means Virgin Atlantic Cargo is able to bring a real opportunity for children to participate in this wonderful sport and experience the joy of cricket, in both Barbados and across the world. As we look to the future, we can’t wait to see what this partnership holds next, as we continue working together in this exciting chapter.”
The Charity’s founder and CEO, Will Gaffney, said “We are so grateful to Energy, Virgin Atlantic, The Woodland Group, Roland Butcher and Cricket West Indies for helping us bring this project together. It is a great start to 2022 - a year which will see us bring together corporates and donors in tangible investment into cricket projects in the UK and globally. Bat For A Chance has the simple aim of breaking down barriers which prevent people from having access to opportunities to play the wonderful game of cricket. We are also delighted to have Chris Jordan and Lydia Greenway on board as our Ambassadors to help us deliver this goal.”
Barbadian born and former Middlesex and England player Roland Butcher said “It is amazing to see how cricket continues to inspire young people to do great things. The Bat For A Chance initiative is a brilliant example of young people making a difference by making sport accessible. It is really fitting that the first global ambassador for this brilliant initiative is a fellow Barbadian, and fellow England cricketer Chris Jordan, and that the first kit-drop of 2022 is in Barbados, where I made my debut for England. I hope this is the beginning of a long relationship between the charity and Barbados. I am delighted to be working with Will, Chris and the teams which will benefit from the generous donations of kit and look forward to the charity going from strength to strength”.
Global Ambassador for the charity, Barbarian born, Surrey and England player Chris Jordan said “I am so proud of what Will Gaffney and the charity are doing for kids in Barbados. Hopefully, some future stars of West Indies cricket will learn to love the game because of the really important work being done here today.”
