Media

Release

from Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

and the Southend Cricket Festival Committee

Community groups, schools and charities across Southend are being given the chance to get their hands on hundreds of free tickets for the 2005 Southend Cricket Festival.

This year’s festival marks the 100^th year of County Cricket in Southend and will be held at the new Garons Park venue for five days from Wednesday 3^rd to Sunday 7^th August 2005. Durham are the visitors for a four day game, with Middlesex visiting on the Sunday. A number of free tickets are available for every day and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Last year tickets were limited to community groups in Southend, but this year Essex and Southend Sports Trust (EASST) and Southend-on-Sea Borough Council have been working together to open the doors to other community groups based elsewhere in Essex. EASST is a charity that supports sport in Essex and Southend and is granting £5,000 towards the project.

Last year there was a big demand for the free tickets for the festival from a wide range of local community groups. Some of these included: -

·         University of the 3^rd Age - a group for the elderly (Southend branch)

·         Southend PHAB - Social club for adults with and without disabilities

·         John Grooms - a national disability charity

·         SureStart Milton (Southend) – a home visiting programme during pregnancy

·         Amigos Mentoring Scheme – aims to protect vulnerable young people between 5 – 25

·         Hindu Association (Southend & District)

·         South-East Essex Multicultural Association

Councillor Tony North, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council’s Executive Councillor for Leisure, Culture and Sport, says: “We would like as many community groups, schools and charities in Southend to take advantage of this free offer, for what is truly a first class event. The Council has been working together with EASST to ensure that as many community groups across Essex are given the opportunity to attend the festival as possible. I would advise people to book early to avoid disappointment, as this is always a very popular event in Southend’s calendar.”

To celebrate the centenary of county cricket in Southend a special dinner/dance is being held at the Cliffs Pavilion, Station Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, on Friday 18^th March 2005. A toast to the county will be made by BBC Essex radio correspondent Roger Buxton and Essex County Cricket Club President Doug Insole will also speak. Tickets cost just £45 and are available from Mike Smith on 07785 978818 or Neil Harding on 07778 126098. Alternatively e-mail m.smith@testing-solutions.com. EASST will present their cheque for £5,000 to Southend’s Mayor, Councillor Roger Weaver at the event and a host of past and present Essex cricket celebrities will be attending the dinner which promises to be a very special night. The souvenir menu is bound to become a collectors’ item.

If you are a community group or a school and you would like to take advantage of the free cricket festival ticket offer for 2005, please contact Southend-on-Sea Borough Council on 01702 215628, or you can email janetavener@southend.gov.uk.

For more information about the 2005 Cricket Festival please visit www.southendcricketfestival.org.uk

Notes to journalists:  

The Essex and Southend Trust (EASST) is an Essex based charity that supports charitable sporting objectives in Southend and Essex. For further information please visit the website at www.easst.org.uk

Southend Cricket Festival Committee is a committee of Essex County Cricket Club.