A highlight of Lord’s Taverners fund and awareness raising campaign is their Table Cricket final in June, preceded by nine regional competitions. Hamilton Rentals has been involved with this event pre- and post-pandemic through its support of AV equipment.
Schools across the UK
Lord’s Taverners is currently (2023) working with over 500 schools, all participating in the Lord’s Taverners regional competitions to earn their place at the Table Cricket National Finals at Lord’s, the home of cricket.
When the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) Strengthened their relationship with the charity by starting a new partnership, they were able to identify 1,500 schools throughout the UK as being dedicated units, as well as identify dedicated disability officers to deliver Lord’s Taverners disability programmes. Teachers have been trained by the County Cricket Board coaches to become Table Cricket champions.
Hamilton Rentals choose to support the Table Cricket programme, which provides young people with a disability an opportunity to enjoy cricket with friends, as well as well as enable them to compete in an environment not normally accessible to them.
What is Table Cricket
Table cricket is an adapted version of cricket played on a table tennis table, invented by Doug Williamson in 1992, the result of a desire to provide a sporting opportunity for young people who could not participate in traditional Paralympic sports.
A strategic game, played by those with both learning and physical disabilities, it has been shown to help with coordination and cognitive skills in addition to developing social skills and teamwork.
What is Needed today
Lord’s Taverners needs money to pay for robust and sustainable equipment to support the game and this is desperately needed. Current table cricket equipment is ‘flimsy’, held together by sticking tape.
The Lord’s Taverners has new kit designed by experts that is durable, quick to assemble and capable of delivering thousands of hours of development and fun.
The Charity wants to replace the old kit in schools with the new and, where possible, repurpose the old equipment to allow new schools to try the game.
Background to Lord’s Taverners
In 1950, a group of cricket enthusiasts gathered in the famous Tavern at Lord’s Cricket Ground and shared a desire to help those less fortunate than themselves. The idea of creating a club to help young people took hold. By September 1950 the club had more than 70 members, including the broadcaster John Snagge and cricketer Jack Hobbs. The actor, John Mills, took on the role of President and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh became the Patron and Twelfth Man.
The eclectic blend of members from the world of show business and cricket continued to grow and led to the first committee meeting at the Comedy Theatre, what is now the Harold Pinter Theatre where a plaque commemorates the event, and the Lord’s Taverners club was born.
About Lord’s Taverners
Lord’s Taverners was formally recognised as a charity in 1964 that aims to enhance the lives of disadvantaged and disabled young people through cricket, proudly putting the fun in fundraising through a huge variety of well attended events across the UK.
The ethos behind each of its programmes is to provide young people with an opportunity to enjoy cricket and create life opportunities.
About Hamilton Rentals
Hamilton Rentals is a UK-based company that provides IT and AV rental solutions for short-term projects and events within the Technology, Computing, Sport, Government, Financial, Television & Film Production, Events and Exhibitions’ industries.
It has a purpose-built facility in Berkshire offering access to a comprehensive fleet of IT and AV equipment, as well as event management services and inventory management solutions.
Proud to support
