Not only does SportsAid celebrates its 40^th anniversary this year but is also benefiting from a new partnership with Northamptonshire County Cricket Club.

SportsAid helps young, unfunded athletes to overcome one of their greatest barriers to success – the financial challenge of trying to become Britain’s next generation of world champions. The SportsAid athletes are the UK’s brightest prospects from more than 60 sports. Typically aged 12 to 18, they receive no other funding which means that they rely heavily on their parents for support. Not just financially but also for their transport, kit, nutrition and much more. Without SportsAid, many of these athletes would face a hard choice over whether to continue with their training and competing. Some of the best-known former SportsAid recipeints are Sir Chris Hoy, Mo Farah CBE, Tom Daley, Sir Steve Redgrave and Amir Khan.

Northamptonshire County Cricket Club have been involved with SportsAid in the (midlands) area for some years and work closely with the charity in promoting networking events across the region. Sports Aid share similar values to NCCC who for years have fostered a strong belief in nurturing young talent at the Northants Cricket Academy. This investment has reaped rewards with successful graduates such as Graeme Swann and recent success David Willey.  

Tomorrow marks an important day in the SportsAid calendar with another of their popular networking lunches, which offer a great opportunity for fund raising and a reminder to businesses of the important role that sports play in a community. Ten prizes are to awarded to sports stars of the future, including

Holly Winterburn, Basketball Player

Jake Robinson, Wheelchair Basketball Player

Jacob Round, Basketball Player

Oliver Gilbert, Canoeist

Brodie Hove-Coleman, Gymnast

Ciara McGrath, Gymnast

Alex Ramsden, Table Tennis Player

Ben Vaughan, Boxer

Emer Wintsch, Traithlete

The guest speaker at the lunch will be Allan Lamb whose impressive cricketing career spanned 1982-92, including 79 test matches for England and 128 One Day Internationals. He captained England three times against the West Indies and Australia and captained Northamptonshire CCC from 1989 to 1994.

Guests are in for an additional treat as they will also be able to watch the Northamptonshire Steelbacks take on the Worcester Rapids in the second home NatWest T20 Blast match at the County Ground.