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Pattonair selects 16 young people to form guard of honour at upcoming Vitality WIT20

Pattonair selects 16 young people to form guard of honour at upcoming Vitality WIT20

Sixteen cricket-mad youngsters are being given an exciting opportunity to take part in a guard of honour in a major international women’s cricket match next week.

They will welcome the Women’s World Cup-winning England team as they take on the West Indies Women in the Vitality WIT20 at Derby’s Pattonair County Cricket Ground.

The children, aged between five and eight years old, all play for Denby Cricket Club in Derbyshire – and one lucky girl from the sixteen will also be chosen by Pattonair as the England mascot for the match.

The guard of honour will take place on Tuesday 24 June, when England complete their three-day T20 match series against the West Indies.

Organisers hope the event will encourage more youngsters – and in particular more women and girls - into the sport.

Wayne Hollinshead, Chief Executive of Pattonair, said: “The Vitality WIT20 will open young girls and boys’ eyes to the opportunities that are open to them in the sport.

“There is no greater occasion than this to support budding cricket players on their journey into the professional game and we hope each and every one of the sixteen fully embrace their prize.”

The youngsters will also receive free tickets to the match, watch from the grandstand next to the players’ entrance and have a signing session with the team at the end of the fixture.

Denby Cricket Club is part of the All Stars Cricket programme run by the England and Wales Cricket Board, introducing girls and boys aged five to eight to cricket.

The programme currently has 1,730 children enrolled across Derbyshire with 27% of them being girls – well above the national average.

Denby won the chance to take part in the guard of honour after Pattonair and the Derbyshire Cricket Board linked up to launch a competition to increase the sign-up of girls in local cricket.

The club successfully signed up more than five girls in the space of two weeks and took the prize.

Pattonair, the leading global supply chain provider to the aerospace and defence industry, is four months into its four-year deal with Derbyshire County Cricket Club It has taken a proactive approach to its involvement, including encouraging initiatives such as the guard of honour.

“Much of what we do at Pattonair is geared towards growth for our customers,” said Mr Hollinshead.

“Since taking over the naming rights, we have been pleased to do the same for the ground by aiding its growth and raising its profile, particularly with local schools, universities and community groups.”


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