13 young cricketers benefit from BCB Vickram Bharrat Patron’s Fund
The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) continues to push ahead with its developmental programmes despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has brought a standstill to all sporting activities since March 2020.
Over the last week, the proactive Berbice Cricket Board, under the newly established BCB Vickram Bharrat Patron’s Fund, donated an item of cricket gear to each of 13 youth cricketers across the county.
Four of the players posing with their gear after the presentation19
BCB President Hilbert Foster has said the Vickram Bharrat Patron’s Fund was established immediately after Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat was inducted as the first Honorary Patron of the BCB on November 7. The main objectives of this Fund are: to make sure that every talent in the county is allowed to develop by providing assistance wherever possible; to assist clubs to fulfill their mandates to their membership; and to make sure that every cricketer in Berbice has an opportunity to complete his/her educational training.
Foster noted that, in the past, too many young cricketers with great talent were forced to leave the sport due to the simple reason that their parents were unable to stand the cost of gears needed to play the game. Poverty, the BCB President stated, should not be the reason why youths drop out of the game, as others can assist.
Foster has said that once he remains head of the BCB, every effort would be made to assist every youth to fulfill their potential on and off the cricket field. Since February 2018, more than 200 youth cricketers in the Ancient County have received cricket gears and bicycles from the BCB and the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS. Hundreds more have benefited from donations of educational items, including school bags, footwear, exercise books and stationery.
Cricket gear donated to the needy include bats, batting pads and batting gloves. Recipient players were drawn from clubs like RHTY&SC, Albion, Port Mourant, Upper Corentyne, Edinburgh, Rose Hall Canje, Achievers and Bush Lot United. The gear was donated to the BCB by Minister Bharrat, who also contributed $1M towards the hosting of the historic Berbice Semi-Professional League in 2021.
In brief remarks to some of the players, Foster urged that they remain focused, and not be distracted by the evil ways of Satan. He cautioned them that to be successful on the cricket field, they need to develop a culture of discipline, hard work, and dedication. He also spoke on the importance of education and the need to stay in school, even as he called on the attentive youths to take care of the gear they received and pledged that the BCB would continue to invest in their career.
He advised them to approach the BCB whenever they need any form of assistance, and expressed gratitude to Minister Bharrat for the gears and for the role he was playing as BCB Patron.
In December, the BCB would assist dozens more cricketers under a special project with former Guyana and West Indies opening batsman Clayton Lambert.
