ECB Cricket Collective Awards 2024
The Shropshire winners of the ECB Cricket Collective Awards received their trophies at the annual Presentation Evening held at the Albright Hussey Hotel near Shrewsbury.
Cricket Shropshire’s Community Officer Sacha Lee and Director of Safeguarding and EDI Jennie Good presented the first batch of these awards, with help from Disability Officer Tyler Ibbotson.
Safe Hands – Paul Taylor (St Georges CC)
Sacha said: “Paul has been the club’s Safeguarding Officer for more than 20 years. He continues to share his knowledge and experience throughout the club and in the wider Safeguarding community. He is positive about change and strives to embrace new initiatives and is fully supportive of Cricket Shropshire and everything the Board is trying to achieve to make the game of cricket fully inclusive and accessible for all. St Georges is a large club in the heart of Telford with senior and junior teams along with Women’s and Girls and is also a Disability Hub.
“He is always willing to provide support to everyone at the club on a personal and practical level, and is happy to mentor others, even becoming a Safe Hands Management System guru! He understands that safeguarding is front and centre of everything we do and ensures that everyone understands their role in achieving it.”
Connecting Communities – Mike Atherton (Newport CC)
Sacha said: “Mike has worked tirelessly as an excellent ambassador for Newpory club for more than 30 years; always striving to make the club better. He manages all club bookings and events, encouraging other communities to engage with the club, organises club finances and the club bar. He has embraced recent changes but remains the ‘go to’ for club support
Inspired to Play – Holly Fozzard (Cound CC)
Sacha said: “Described as ‘a phenomenal coach’, Holly has inspired not only the next generation of cricketers at Cound, but also the next generation of women’s softball cricketers. Nurturing players of any age to form a love and passion for the game, she really has taken her club to the next stage of its development. She has been described as ‘the best coach ever’ by the juniors at their club. A fantastic advocate of the ‘Spirit of Cricket’ she thoroughly deserves the Inspire to Play Award.
Cricket Innovators – Gareth Mullard-Wilson (Wellington CC)
Sacha said: “Every club needs volunteers to function, and Gareth is a fantastic example of a club volunteer. Not only does he help his club by mending things for free, but also has a knack for creating novel ways to solve problems. Some of these ways include pulley systems for changing the colour of the sight screens to installing timer systems for the heating at the club throughout the Winter. Not only does he save his club money with his ideas and solutions, but they do it all for the love of the club.”
Growing the Game – Nigel Davies (Whittington CC)
Sacha said: “Nigel has been the driving force behind reviving Whittington and helping Cricket Shropshire to create a hub for Shropshire County Girls’ cricket and a community centre. He tirelessly supports the club by coaching, recruiting, and handling administrative tasks, ensuring a pathway from grassroots to senior cricket. Despite personal injuries, his dedication to coaching and promoting the sport remains unwavering, exemplifying their passion and commitment.”
Game Changers – (Shelton CC)
Tyler Ibbotson said: “As the Board’s Disability Officer, I am honoured to present this special recognition award to Shelton Cricket Club. Three years ago, we embarked on an incredible journey to bring Super 1s to Shropshire, a brand-new disability initiative offering free cricket coaching and life skills to young people with disabilities aged 11-25. This project was more than just about cricket; it was about creating a safe, inclusive space where participants could thrive both on and off the field.
“When I was tasked with establishing new Super 1s hubs across the county, I knew Shelton Cricket Club had the right people and the perfect environment to make this vision a reality. From the very beginning, they embraced the initiative wholeheartedly, creating a community where everyone felt welcome, valued, and supported.
“Today, we have 12 incredible participants, along with their families and guardians, whose lives have been changed through this program. And that transformation is due to the unwavering commitment, friendliness, and genuine care shown by everyone at Shelton Cricket Club. They have gone above and beyond to ensure each session is filled with joy, learning, and connection. Their dedication has helped make Super 1s a life-changing experience for so many.
“Thank you, Shelton Cricket Club, for your outstanding contributions. This award is a small recognition of the huge impact you’ve made.”
If anyone would like a high-resolution digital version of any of these pictures, we can supply them for £5, half of which will be donated to the chosen charity of the evening MIND. If you wish to order three pictures it will be £10, five for £15 or 10 for £20.