Local Children Paint Edgbaston Red For Test Match

Local Children Paint Edgbaston Red For Test Match

Pupils from the Baverstock School & Sports College with Ashley Giles at the WCCC indoor training area

Back row from left to right: Ryan Hamer 12; Ross Huntley 12; Daniel Retter 12; Declan Blackhurst O'Brien 11

Front row from left to right: Brandon Peach 11; Khalid Ghumman 11; Lucas Pfister 11; Joe Eadrop 11; Arvin Moradi 11

Warwickshire County Cricket Club recently gave 40 local school children the chance to design a T-Shirt that will be worn by thousands of spectators at the Third npower Test Match at Edgbaston in honour of partner charity, Cure Leukaemia.

Warwickshire is renaming its iconic Eric Hollies Stand as the Cure Leukaemia Stand on day one of the Test (10th August) and is giving away red T-Shirts to all spectators sat within, which show off the charity’s design created by one of the 40 children from either Bishop Challoner Catholic College and Baverstock School & Sports College in Kings Heath, Brookhurst Primary School in Leamington Spa or John Henry Newman College in Chelmsley Wood.

James McLaughlin, Commercial Director at Warwickshire CCC and a Trustee of Cure Leukaemia, said: "We’ve been working with Cure Leukaemia for several years, but were determined to extend our partnership through our biggest fixture of the year – the Test Match – where we can work with cricket fans and the local community to raise a substantial amount of money for the charity.

"We’ve received some fantastic designs from the local school children involved in the competition. The winner will see their design displayed on thousands of T-Shirts, forming a sea of red across the Eric Hollies (Cure Leukaemia) Stand, which will be a fantastic site for players and fans present as well as millions watching on television around the world."

The winner of the T-Shirt competition will also get the chance to wear red in the Cure Leukaemia Stand for day one of the Test Match, along with 20 school friends. They can also become a regular visitor to the new redeveloped Edgbaston stadium through a life membership at Warwickshire CCC.

In addition to the red T-Shirts and renaming of the Eric Hollies Stand, Warwickshire CCC is donating £2 from every ticket sold for the Test Match to Cure Leukaemia, which will help fund another three research nurses to administer potentially lifesaving treatments to patients that they wouldn’t normally receive through the NHS.

Professor Charlie Craddock, Founder of Cure Leukaemia and a Consultant Haematologist, said: "Since 2005, the partnership with Warwickshire CCC has made a tremendous impact on Cure Leukaemia by helping the charity fund more of the lifesaving treatments and pioneering research, which is curing patients of the disease.

"Every penny invested in the charity can make a difference, and we thank everyone connected with Warwickshire for their generosity in this cause."

Based at the Centre for Clinical Haematology (also known as the Leukaemia Centre) at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Cure Leukaemia undertakes world-class research into cures for the disease and employs 15 research nurses to administer treatments at hospitals across the Midlands.

For further information on entering the Cure Leukaemia T-Shirt competition, please visit www.cureleukaemia.co.uk.