What Yorkshire Cricket Means to Me has raised almost £6,000 for good cricketing causes within the county.
Just two-and-a-half-months after its launch, What Yorkshire Cricket Means To Me has raised an incredible £5,750 for cricketing good causes across the county.
The fundraising book, collated by former Yorkshire and England player Gill Smith and photographer Neil Brinsdon, has been really well received by cricket supporters, with proceeds distributed through the Yorkshire Players Association to support projects which make a real difference to the Yorkshire Cricket family.
The project has been made possible thanks to the generosity of more than 70 contributors, who shared their personal stories and memories of Yorkshire Cricket, together with the fantastic support received from friends and the wider cricket family at Headingley, Scarborough and York.
Above all, it is the hundreds of people purchasing copies of the book who have made this remarkable fundraising achievement possible.
The funds are already beginning to make a difference.
One of the first beneficiaries has been Yorkshire’s Disability set-up, which has received funding to purchase new cricket balls for training sessions and matches, helping players continue to enjoy and develop their game.
Gill Smith said: “If someone had suggested at the beginning we would raise this amount of money in just two-and-a half-months, I wouldn’t have believed them.
“The support we’ve received has been absolutely amazing, from our contributors to everyone who has bought a copy of the book and helped spread the word.
“We’re incredibly grateful because this was always about giving something back to the game. To already be distributing funds to projects and people who need a little extra support is exactly what we hoped the book would achieve.”
The book has also received widespread praise from readers and the national cricket media. One reader Mark Kraska described it as ‘Easy to pick up, but hard to put down.’
Then The Cricketer magazine called it ‘One of the most uplifting reads of the year.’
What Yorkshire Cricket Means To Me celebrates the people, memories and moments which make cricket in Yorkshire so special, bringing together stories from players, coaches, officials, broadcasters, journalists and supporters, all united by their love of the White Rose.
The team will continue to attend matches throughout the remainder of the season, including fixtures at Scarborough and Headingley, where supporters will have the opportunity to purchase copies and meet the team behind the project.
Alternatively, copies of the book are available from www.whatcricketmeanstome.co.uk.
Every purchase helps to support the Yorkshire Cricket community and ensures that the stories of Yorkshire Cricket continue to make a difference both on and off the field.
Picture courtesy of Gill Smith. Gill and Neil Brinsdon have collaborated on two books, including their other title What Cricket Means to Me.
