Pattonair hopes to bowl over local youngsters with free cricket tickets

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 3 April 2019

UPDATED: 3 April 2019

Hundreds of Derbyshire schoolchildren will get to watch first class cricket for free thanks to aerospace supply chain specialist Pattonair.

The Derby firm, a world-leading aerospace and defence supply chain solutions provider, has organised for 500 pupils from local primary schools to watch the first day’s action at Derbyshire County Cricket Club’s opening match of the 2019 Specsavers County Championship against Durham on Friday.

The company has also arranged for 300 students from the University of Derby and representatives from 100 community cricket clubs to receive free tickets to watch the third day’s play in the game on Sunday.

The move follows Pattonair’s announcement in January that it was becoming Derbyshire County Cricket Club’s Principal Partner as part of a four-year deal, which included the club’s stadium being renamed the Pattonair County Ground.

Wayne Hollinshead, Chief Executive of Pattonair, said his company was keen to use its support of cricket to strengthen its community links in Derby, where it has its headquarters and employs 600 local staff.

Pattonair has more than 2,000 customers worldwide, and has operations in Singapore, China, Poland, Brazil, France, Italy, Canada and the US employing a further 500 people. It has an ambitious programme for growth and has recently announced a new global HQ and state-of-the-art warehouse in Derby’s Infinity Park.

“The first match of the new County Championship season is naturally a highly anticipated affair and to celebrate our first year as the club’s principal partner we wanted to do something extra special,” said Mr Hollinshead.

“We are always looking at ways to encourage young people to interact with regional sport and hope that everyone invited to watch the game has a wonderful day and are inspired by the action they see taking place.”

Ryan Duckett, Chief Executive of Derbyshire County Cricket Club, said they were looking forward to the initiative.

“We are once again very grateful to Pattonair’s support of our opening fixture of the 2019 season. We have an exciting summer of cricket and events at the Pattonair County Ground and I hope as many people as possible from the schools and clubs across the local community will take advantage of this generous offer.”   

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