PCA PRESS RELEASE
Sell-out Vitality Blast crowd will support players’ charity on Thursday.
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The Professional Cricketers’ Trust is looking forward to its second in-ground bucket collection as Surrey take on Essex Eagles at the Kia Oval on Thursday.
The Vitality Blast fixture, which has long been sold out and is Surrey’s last scheduled home limited overs fixture of the season, will see spectators given the chance to donate to the players’ charity throughout the evening.
It comes almost three weeks after the first event of its kind, when the rain failed to halt a successful charity drive as Glamorgan took on the Eagles on Friday 9 August.
PCA staff members and Trust volunteers will be joined by former Surrey and England players Zafar Ansari and Pat Pocock, who have given up their time to rattle collection buckets around the Oval concourses. Ansari is set to return to the Oval outfield once again with an on-pitch interview to discuss the work of the Trust.
As was the case on that evening in Cardiff, every penny of the money raised will go the Cricketers’ Trust, giving help to PCA members when they need it most.
The leading cricketing charity provides support to current and ex-professionals and their immediate families both proactively and reactively, with an emphasis on educating current players to help avoid potential issues in the future.
A number of players have chosen to speak out about their personal experience of receiving support from the Trust, including Matt Maynard, father of former Surrey batsman Tom, who tragically passed away after an incident in June 2012.
More recently, former Surrey and current Gloucestershire man Tom Smith courageously opened up to the PCA about his experience of benefitting from the Trust after his wife Laura lost her brave battle with a rare liver disease and bile-duct cancer just over a year ago.
You can find more information about Professional Cricketers’ Trust beneficiaries by visiting our website.
On the evening itself, both home and away spectators will be regularly reminded of the positive effect their generosity will have. Videos will be shown on the big screen with PA announcements also being made inside the ground. Awareness of the charity will be further promoted via the Trust’s multiple social media channels.
You can donate £10 now by texting ‘CRICKET’ to 70085.
