The Ospreys and Mumbles Cricket Club have confirmed that LATCH, the Welsh Children's Cancer Charity, will once again be the beneficiary from funds raised at the annual charity cricket clash between the two teams next week.
The 20/20 match takes place on Friday 5th August at Mumbles’ picturesque Marespool Ground on Plunch Lane, with the first ball bowled at 4.00pm. It’s the second time that the two teams have met in a fundraiser for LATCH, the inaugural clash in 2009 seeing an Ospreys XI defeated by 41 runs, before last year's scheduled fixture was postponed following a week of unseasonal torrential rain.
Played out on a glorious sunny evening with hundreds turning out to watch the action, the 2009 game saw the two teams raising more than £1,500 for LATCH.
LATCH is a voluntary organisation set up to support the special requirements of the children's oncology centre in Wales, which is based at the Children's Hospital for Wales to help affected families and promote research in childhood cancer. The charity was formed in 1982 by a group of families and friends who recognised that the children and their families not only needed medical support, but also social and welfare support to ease the huge financial burden placed on families with a child on treatment.
Preparations for the game are well underway with the players participating in a series of sessions at their Llandarcy HQ aimed at identifying the cricketing talent in the ranks.
Director of Coaching, Scott Johnson, commented:
"It'll be good to pull on the whites and enjoy a game of cricket with the boys. It's great to be able to go out into our community, I'm sure it's going to be a great evening for everyone involved.
"Hopefully we won't get typical Welsh rain, which means that we can have a great time as a group while helping to raise some funds for LATCH. We're all looking forward to it, and hopefully there'll be plenty of fans joining us for the occasion."
Jonathan Thomas is one of the players who featured in the 2009 clash. A keen cricketer who plays for Whitland in the Pembrokeshire League when commitments permit, he is looking forward to picking up bat and ball for the Ospreys once again. He said:
“We’re all looking forward to the evening and testing ourselves at the wicket. We’ve got some pretty decent guys in the team but we realise that we are up against a good team. We know it will be tough, especially having lost to them last time out.
“There’s a serious side to the event, as we will be helping Mumbles Cricket Club to raise much needed funds for LATCH, so as a group of players we are delighted to be in a position to help. Hopefully, there’ll be plenty of Ospreys fans present, and cricket fans, to support a charity that will have a positive impact on the lives of so many Ospreylians.”
LATCH aims to enable the children with cancer in Wales to have the very best that is available today and see they have a healthy future ahead of them, providing the following
* Emotional and practical support to affected children and their families.
* Parents' accommodation in the hospital to avoid family separation.
* Funding of social workers and community nurses in the development of a support team, together with substantial funds to help families with travelling expenses and extra requirements in the home.
* Support for the purchase of research equipment and funding for a full-time research doctor.
* Holidays and other treats to help compensate the children during the difficult treatment years.
* The provision of £800,000 to build an additional floor on the children's hospital for Wales to provide hotel accommodation for families and a dedicated outpatients department for our children.
Admission on the evening will be just £3 with free entry for U16’s, and facilities for supporters on the night will include a barbecue and bar facility.