Photo Credit: Professional Cricketers’ Association
Fundraising activities confirmed with Trust set to take center stage on Saturday.
The Professional Cricketers’ Trust is set to take centre stage on Vitality Blast Finals Day this Saturday, with the Mascot Race headlining the fundraising activities that will be taking place on the day.
For the second year in succession, one of the biggest days on the domestic calendar will see both funds and awareness raised for the players’ charity as Edgbaston Stadium prepares to play host to Finals Day.
Fundraising activities are set to include:
- Vitality Blast Mascot Race brought to you by the Professional Cricketers’ Trust
- Text to donate to the Trust
- Our dedicated JustGiving page
- An online auction throughout the day
You can support your team during this year’s Vitality Blast Mascot Race by donating £5 to the Trust to be in with a chance of winning 2022 Blast tickets.
On Saturday, mascots from up and down the country will be limbering up to take part in the prestigious annual race, but this time there’s a difference: they will be raising money to support those who need it most.
Getting involved is simple. Just text the code of your choice from the list below to 70085 to donate £5 to the Trust and you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win tickets for next season’s Vitality Blast with one pair of tickets on offer per team.
- Birmingham Bears – HUGHBEAR or CARMENBEAR
- Derbyshire Falcons – FREDDIEFALCON
- Durham – CHESTERLION or RIVERLION
- Essex Eagles – EDDIEEAGLE or ELLIEEAGLE
- Glamorgan – MORGANTHEDRAGON
- Gloucestershire – ALFREDGORILLA
- Hampshire Hawks – HAWKY
- Kent Spitfires – VICTA or VICTORIASF
- Lancashire Lightning – LANKY
- Leicestershire Foxes – CHARLIEFOX
- Northamptonshire Steelbacks – STEELER
- Notts Outlaws – NUTSSQUIRREL
- Somerset – STUMPY
- Sussex Sharks – SIDSHARK
- Worcestershire Rapids – NILE
For example, if you would like to support the 2019 winner then text FREDDIEFALCON to 70085 and you will automatically donate £5 (not including the cost of one text message at your standard network rate).
In addition, neutral fans can support Twinkle, the official mascot of the ECB’s All Stars Cricket programme, by texting TWINKLESTAR to 70085 to be in with a chance of winning tickets to see a team of their choice.
Participants may enter as many times as they wish, and the winners will be announced on social media on Monday 20 September, when the Trust will also contact them directly.
The Vitality Blast Mascot Race brought to you by the Professional Cricketers’ Trust is one of a number of activities taking place on Saturday to raise both funds and awareness for the Trust.
A number of the charity’s beneficiaries – both current and former players – will be there on the day to talk to the media and fans about the support they have received from the Trust.
In addition, supporters will be able to take part in an online auction, where you can bid on items including a bat signed by the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup winning side and a limited edition signed photograph of Ben Stokes following his Headingley heroics later that same year.
You can also text to donate to help the charity continue its life-changing – and often life-saving – work or visit our dedicated JustGiving page to make a one-off donation.
Since 2015, 460 individuals have been supported by the players’ charity in the area of mental health alone, including 94 during a record-breaking 2020. Support offered by the Trust can include mental health treatment, funding towards specialist medical treatment or equipment, hardship support and direction or advice in difficult situations.
You can visit our website to find out more information on the Trust’s wide-ranging work.
Please do consider supporting the Trust this weekend – it really will make a difference to those who need it most!
Vitality Blast Finals Day 2021 is supporting the players’ charity: the Professional Cricketers’ Trust. Saturday 18 September will see a day of fundraising and awareness for the Trust on one of the biggest days of the domestic calendar at Edgbaston. Visit bit.ly/DonateFinalsDay to find out more and make a donation.
Registered charity address: Professional Cricketers’ Trust, 1 Brassey Road, Old Potts Way, Shrewsbury, SY3 7FA.
Name of Author: Professional Cricketers Association
The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), founded in 1967 by former England fast bowler Fred Rumsey as the Cricketers’ Association, represents past and present first-class cricketers in England and Wales. In the 1970s, the PCA established a standard employment contract and minimum wage for professional cricketers. It also helped create a pension scheme in 1995 and launched the magazine All Out Cricket and the ACE UK Educational Programme in 2002.
