Basil Butcher Memorial Trust Fund: RHTYSC cricket teams assist schools, churches, BCB in 7th edition

The cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC) have launched the seventh annual edition of their Basil Butcher Memorial Trust Fund in memory of the legendary West Indies middle-order batsman. The fund was established in 2020 after Butcher died in December 2019 in the United States of America after a long illness.
Club secretary Hilbert Foster noted that the main objective of the fund is to keep the memory of the late Butcher alive in Berbice while assisting in making a positive difference in the lives of others. The teams – Poonai’s Pharmacy Under-11 and 13; Farfan and Mendes Under-15; Bakewell Under-17 and Second Division; Pepsi Under-19 and Intermediate; Metro Females; and NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Under-23 and First Division – are responsible for organising the programme each year during the period June to September.
This year’s programme was launched with the hosting of the Tribute to Medical Doctors Awards at the Port Mourant Hospital. Fourteen doctors were honoured, and they each received a trophy, medal of excellence, framed certificate and several special gifts. Numerous schools across the Corentyne area have also benefited from items for their upcoming graduation ceremonies. Among the schools to benefit are the Rose Hall Town Nursery School and Rose Hall Town Primary. They received trophies, medals, framed certificates, school bags and special gifts.
Hundreds of fathers received food hampers last month as part of the club’s Father’s Day celebration. Each food hamper was worth $5000. Several churches, including the St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church, St Agnes Anglican, and the Maranatha Faith Ministries, also benefitted from the food hampers project. The cricket teams also co-sponsored the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) life seminar development programme that was held last Saturday at the Port Mourant Community Centre for 90 youth cricketers. The teams donated three special prizes and educational materials (exercise books, pens, pencils, sharpeners, etc), while 12 youths at the seminar also received school bags with educational materials.
In addition, the Port Mourant Public Hospital benefitted from a donation of four digital clocks, which would be stationed across the extended building. The Trust Fund also donated a cycle to a pensioner who takes care of his ailing wife to assist him to move about. The BCB received a contribution of sixteen trophies towards the hosting of cricket tournaments in 2026. Meanwhile, the RHTYSC cricket teams also sponsored a cross-country race in memory of the late Beyonce Ross, a former athlete from Rose Hall Town.
The Basil Butcher Trust Fund over the next two months will be distributing hundreds of school bags to students along with educational materials. The Trust Fund is also expected to host the annual RHTYSC Cricket Academy and Republic Bank Grade Six Summer Camp.
A combined two hundred youths are expected to attend both programmes, and over two million dollars’ worth of prizes will be shared out to the outstanding performers. Among the prizes are bicycles, electric bikes, electronic tablets, tricycles, personal laptop computers, Comfort Sleep mattresses, designer watches and clothes, food hampers, kitchen utensils, household items, gold medallions and footwear. The top student from each programme is guaranteed to take home half a million dollars’ worth of prizes. The cricket teams would also be honouring the top student from Rose Hall Town at the Grade Six and CSEC level with a personal laptop computer, sponsored by contractor Raymond Haniff of Diversity Investments.
Basil Butcher played 44 test matches for the West Indies, scoring 3104 runs at an average of 43.11 with seven centuries. He is one of two Berbicians to score a double century in Tests – 209 not out versus England.
The RHTYSC, since its formation in 1990, has produced 133 players for Berbice and 76 for Guyana, while 13 have gone on to play at the international level. Among the players are Assad Fudadin, Kevin Sinclair, Kelvon Anderson, Esuan Crandon, Royston Crandon, Shemaine Campbelle, Shabika Gajnabi, Erva Giddings, Sheneta Grimmond, Clinton Pestano, Jonathan Rampersaud and Domonice Rikhi and Askay Homraj. Over the years, the RHTYSC has also won 133 cricket tournaments and won the Guyana Cricket Club of the Year award five times.