ST JOHN’S, Antigua – The West Indies Cricket Board Digicel Grassroots Club Grant Programme continues with the latest disbursement of a total of US$3 000.
Seven clubs have been selected for US$5 000 grants each in the third period of the Grassroots Grant Programme which is open to all clubs in the West Indies. Two of the clubs selected are repeat beneficiaries. They are Antigua’s Liberta Sports Club which is the club of former West Indies fast bowler Kenny Benjamin and St Andrews Cricket League of Grenada.
Liberta had previously received a grant for building all-weather batting nets while St Andrews used their first grant to procure gear and execute a training programme.
Benjamin, president of Liberta SC, one of the most prominent and active cricket clubs in Antigua, said he is most grateful for the financial support.
“These funds have really assisted Liberta Cricket Club in a tangible way to help us improve our facilities so that the young players especially can work in all conditions to improve their cricket,” Benjamin said.
“We will use this new grant to help these players to further develop their game which will be to the benefit of Antigua and Barbuda, Leeward Islands and ultimately West Indies cricket,” Benjamin added.
“I would like to encourage other clubs in the Leeward Islands to also get more organised and take advantage of the Grassroots Grant which I think is a fantastic programme and WICB and Digicel should be commended highly,” Benjamin said.
Digicel Group Director of Marketing Operations, Kieran Foley, said; “At Digicel, we believe the funding and support of grassroots cricket organisations is critical.
“This not only enables them to be sustainable and effective but also does wonders for the continuity of the sport by increasing direct participation and appreciation – as well as having a positive knock-on effect to the wider communities.
As such, the WICB Digicel Grassroots programme is a fantastic initiative that empowers cricket clubs to develop the sport at grassroots level in local communities throughout the region. The initiative underpins our sponsorship of West Indies cricket and we are proud to be a part of it.”
Alwyn Benjamin, secretary of the St Andrew’s Cricket League said that the Grassroots Grant has led to huge successes in Grenada.
“As a direct result of the training programme we have been able to execute from the grant funds, nine of the Under-15 players from St Andrew’s Cricket League have made it to the Grenada national team,” Benjamin revealed.
“This Grassroots Grant has been a God-send for us because it has helped us to focus on the development of our Under-15 players by running a comprehensive training programme for them from Monday to Friday during the school holidays,” Benjamin explained.
With their second grant St Andrew’s will upgrade the facilities at Pearl’s Playing Field which will better enable the league to host matches at all levels of cricket.