A summer of cricket while you Bat for Change
Batting for Change to launch inaugural National Backyard Cricket Day this January – Cricketing royalty will join forces with Batting for Change and everyday Australians to improve access to education at home and abroad.
This January, Batting for Change will be calling on Australian families and cricket fans to play a game of backyard cricket and raise much-needed funds to support education projects in Australia and in cricket-playing nations overseas. The fun and games are all part of National Backyard Cricket Day, launching on Sunday 31 January 2021.
The inaugural event is backed by cricketing royalty; Justin Langer, Alex Blackwell, Ryan Carters, Russel Arnold, Alyssa Healy, Ed Cowan, and Michael Holding are all on board as official campaign ambassadors.
Ted Alexander, Chair of Batting for Change, a fundraising arm of the well-known charity, The LBW Trust said, “National Backyard Cricket day is an opportunity for the community to come together and create fun memories after what’s been an extremely challenging 12 months, while supporting an important cause at the same time.”
“The pandemic and subsequent recession have had a severe impact on rural areas in Australia as well as the communities we support in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa, Tanzania, Indonesia and Afghanistan. We’re proud to have been able to help people in these cricket-playing countries complete their tertiary education, and we are incredibly grateful for the ongoing community support which allows us to continue to do this.”
Ambassador, Justin Langer added, “I’m a huge supporter of Batting for Change. We’ve all got amazing memories of playing backyard cricket, so the 31st of January is a great opportunity to get all your family and friends together and raise some important funds for some unbelievable initiatives.”
David Vaux, Chair of The LBW Trust said “The funds raised from National Backyard Cricket will be split equally between much needed grants for community libraries across Australia and the LBW Trust’s overseas education programs.”
The Governor General, David Hurley, will be hosting a game of backyard cricket at Government House in Canberra on February 4, where Batting for Change will announce total funds raised.
Event registrations are now open
While gathering in large numbers can be challenging due to current COVID-19 restrictions, Batting for Change encourages smaller groups of immediate family, friends, workmates and more to gather outdoors and enjoy a fun afternoon of cricket together. While the official launch date is January 31, anyone can arrange a game any time during the month of January and it will still be considered part of National Backyard Cricket Day.
For more information or to register an event, please visit https://nationalbackyardcricket.com/. Anyone can donate even if they are not able to host or participate in a game.
All donations over $2 through Batting for Change to The LBW Trust are tax-deductible in Australia.
National Backyard Cricket Day is supported by sponsors Spriggy, Nexba, Triple M, MultiConnexions, Nightjar, CWConsults and Friends of Libraries Australia (FOLA).
How National Backyard Cricket Day will support educational projects
Funds raised by National Backyard Cricket Day events will be split equally between grants for community libraries across Australia and The LBW Trust’s overseas education sponsorship programs.
Local libraries in Australia can have a powerful impact on learning and life outcomes. Libraries offer a range of services to their communities including facilitating safe study spaces, holding computer literacy classes, and offering assistance with resumes, cover letters and more to help people gain employment. There is a particular need for increased funding in rural and regional areas to support this work. Friends of Libraries Australia will advise Batting for Change on how to distribute the funds, the types and sizes of the grants to be made, and how libraries will apply for, be awarded, and then account for the funds they receive.
The other half of the funds raised will support The LBW Trust’s projects which work to level the global playing field in education. The trust works in partnership with local NGOs to provide tertiary and vocational education to young men and women. More information about the projects can be found here https://nationalbackyardcricket.com/your-impact
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About Batting for Change
Established in 2013 by former Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder batsman Ryan Carters, Batting for Change has raised more than $1 million since its inception as a fundraising arm of The LBW Trust.
Batting for Change raises funds to support students from developing, cricket-playing countries to complete tertiary education; both vocational and university.
About The LBW Trust
The Learning for a Better World (LBW) Trust has raised nearly $5 million since its inception 15 years ago. It draws on the generosity of the Australian and international cricketing community to provide transformational educational opportunities for young men and women in the developing world. With your support, our hope is that, when they graduate, these young men and women will have the opportunity to play an important part in improving the future of their communities and nations. Over 1300 students from countries including India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa, Tanzania, Indonesia, Kenya and Afghanistan are supported annually.
The LBW Trust fundraises through charitable donations, the LBW Trust Annual Dinner, Batting for Change events, and Women for Change fundraising campaigns. Each of these avenues draws on the support of Australians, the cricketing community, and our diverse group of Directors, Committee Members, Patrons, and Ambassadors. Our Board of Directors consists of a wide range of professionals, from journalists and authors to accountants, bankers, teachers, lawyers and business people, all bound by a common philanthropic passion and a love of cricket. We are extraordinarily fortunate to have a high-profile group of Patrons that includes a former Prime Minister, the current and previous Governor-General, a Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, a Chief of the Defence Force and Australian and international cricketers regarded as greats of the game.
