Newsletter September 2023
Dear all
On one of the hottest day of the year and with the help of some very special volunteers, MP Sports Cricket Academy packed up for the winter. It has been a monumental year for both the Cricket Academy and MP Sports Development Trust. Please see below for the September Newsletter and also for a roundup of all the amazing events this year.
There are many things to look forward to in the coming year. Once again, Indoor cricket is due to start in January at Lord Williams's school sports hall. If you would like to get a bit of practice in before the start of the cricket season, this is a great course to join. The sign up sheet is now open on the MP Sports Cricket Academy website and children will be allocated on a first come first served basis. If you would like to attend, please head to the courses section on the website or use the link below.
https://mpsportscricketacademy.co.uk/termform
On the 13th to the 23rd of February next year, MP Sports are offering a once in a lifetime opportunity to watch two of the world’s best cricket teams in action LIVE in India! MP Sports Cricket Academy’s India Tour, for cricketers and tourists, will include tickets to see India vs England at a local ground and offer a chance to see many of the local sights, accompanied by Manoj Parmar as your guide! Cricketers will have the opportunity to practise cricket and play matches and tourists will get to do some sightseeing. The cost of the package is £2500 per person if you book your place with a £650 deposit before the 30th of October which includes flights, hotels and travel.
If you would like more information please visit the website or feel free to email us. We look forward to hearing from you.
And now for a roundup of all the amazing events from the past year.
Early in January children had the opportunity to join our indoor cricket training courses, held at Lord Williams’s School sports hall. We were also pleased to announce the arrival of 50 more baby Salix Alba willow trees at the ground. Planting trees is great for the environment in so many ways: they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; help to combat climate change; improve soil; and help to prevent flooding and erosion.
Local councillors were on hand to help with the planting, and we were very pleased to welcome Thame Town Councillors Ann Midwinter and Andy Gilbert, as well as SODC councillor Sam Casey-Rerhaye and Mr Roger Carr. We would like to thank them very much for their help. We would also like to thank our kind 'watering volunteer' who has taken time to come and water the baby trees for us. Thank you!
In March, MP Sports Development Trust hosted a free badminton tournament at the Thame Leisure Centre. 22 badminton players from school years 6,7 and 8 joined us for two hours of non-stop badminton fun, each playing 9 games. Everyone that participated received a tournament medal and the winner overall was awarded a trophy. A big thank you goes to all the wonderful parents who gave up their time to help out and to Demitri Maldonado from Thame Badminton Club for his guidance. We really couldn't have done it without you!
The 18th of March saw the welcome return of diving catch practice at Thame swimming pool. The children got to practise their catches in the deep end of the swimming pool and had some fun sprint races and games at the end.
The Coronation Cup in May was a success, after some pretty heavy rain the day before. Cricketers from MP Academy, Taplow and Marlow joined us on the day and Marlow went on to win the trophy in the final. All participants received a medal and there was a sky-high catching competition to finish off. Many thanks to everyone who helped out at the event.
MP Sports Development Trust Primary School Cricket Tournament for children in years three and four was especially fun this year, with six teams taking part. Held at the MP Sports Cricket Academy ground, John Hampden ultimately won the trophy, and every child received a special coronation medal. In June Manoj was delighted to attend the John Hampden sports Day, where he taught pupils batting fielding and catching skills and set up a cricket match.
MP Sports Academy cricketers did fantastically well in the Aylesbury District Midweek Cricket League. Some players were able to join us for a Father’s Day friendly match against Bledlow Village at the picturesque Bledlow Oval. Dads played kids, and even some grandfathers joined in.
The ground has been busy this year with many clubs and organisations hiring out the space for cricket matches and events. 1st Thame Cub Scouts joined us in June for an evening of cricket followed by two cubs being invested.
Holiday courses have also been very popular this year, running throughout the school holidays. Children could do a whole course or just a few days and at the end of the summer holiday they were all invited to a presentation evening to celebrate their achievements, and a parents vs kids match. Councillor Pieter Paul Barker was kind enough to visit us at the end of course three to present the children with a free tennis ball so they can continue to practise their new skills at home.
So, as you can see it has been a busy year. Thank you again to everyone who has kindly given us a few hours of their time this year. Your support is very important to us.
MP Sports Development Trust relies solely on donations and grants to keep running so many free events. If you would like more information about the trust or would like to offer a donation, please visit the website:
https://mpsportsdevelopmenttrust.org.uk/
We are very grateful for all donations.
Kind regards
Julia