The cricketers’ charity for the blind and partially sighted

MEMBERS’ NEWSLETTER MAY 2014 www.primaryclub.org

Inside:

read about the

projects funded

by your kind

donations

INSIDE: Bumper year for Rule 5(c) – p 2; old competition, new name – p 3; Cricket the VI way – p 5: VI skiing - p 8

NewsThe Surrey VI Cricket Squad (pictured bottom left) is run by theSurrey Cricket Board and is looking to attract more players sothat in 2015 we can enter the Blind Cricket England & WalesCricket league (http://www.bcew.co.uk/) where we would playagainst other county VI sides such as Kent, Dorset, Berkshireand Hampshire. The club runs training sessions all year round;summer training and games are at Frimley Cricket Club.

The club has also taken part in two videos that will be ofinterest to readers. In the first, Sky Sports filmed the SurreySquad’s demonstration at the Kia Oval before a Surrey T20match against Essex (http://bit.ly/skysurrey), while in thesecond Surrey All Rounder Zafar Ansari was blindfolded andjoined a training session with the VI Squad(http://bit.ly/surreyansari).

The curse of Rule 5(c)The curse of rule 5(c) has struck again. The rule, under whichmembers are asked to add £2 to their annual donation for eachprimary achieved by an England batsman in a home test match,claimed the following victims in 2013 as certified by MalcolmAshton from the TMS commentary box.

● M J Prior lbw b Southee (v New Zealand, Lord's, 17 May)

● S T Finn c Haddin b Starc (v Australia, Trent Bridge, 10 July);

● I J L Trott lbw b Starc (v Australia, Trent Bridge, 11 July)

● M J Prior b Harris (v Australia, Chester-Le-Street, 12 August)

Members are, therefore, asked to add £8 to their annualdonation. If every member observes rule 5(c) our income willgrow significantly. There were also seven "primaries" in One DayInternationals and another one in T20s – can you name them?

Editor’s letterAs Jade Etherington piled medal uponmedal at the Winter Olympics this year tobecome our most decorated WinterParalympian, my inbox started fill up with emails frommembers who proudly pointed out that grants from ThePrimary Club in the past have helped Jade along the wayto the podium.

But of course The Primary Club helps huge numbers ofpeople who are not en route to media stardom but aresimply enjoying the opportunity to play cricket (of course!)as well as a huge variety of other sports, and to take part inleisure activities that without your generous donationswould simply not take place.

Each year I contact the many groups who receive grantsfrom the club to find out how the money has been spent.It’s quite overwhelming to hear the stories of how lives arebeing changed and I’m not ashamed to admit that my eyesare often very moist when I put the phone down or place aletter back on the table.

I hope this newsletter proves that every year your moneyis not disappearing into a black hole. Quite the reverse.Every penny - and I do mean ‘every’ penny - goes towardsthe dozens of projects outlined on page 7. With the rottenluck of some of England’s finest in the past 12 months (seethe curse of Rule 5 (c) right), I do hopeyou’ll feel able to swell the cofferseven more.

And here’s hoping you have aPrimary-free summer!

● Alex Johnson

Area Representatives

In the last few Newsletters, we have appealed for membersto become Area Representatives for The Primary Club; in2013, we had only one volunteer who now looks afterGloucestershire and Herefordshire

Area Reps are given details of all recipients of Grants withintheir area and is encouraged to visit those organisations wherethey always receive a very warm welcome. To visit such anorganisation makes you aware of how the Club’s grants arebeing used and is a stimulus to recruit new members. As a

trustee, I have visited a number of grant recipients where wedo not have an active Area Rep and what a rewardingexperience it has been.

As you can no doubt see from the above, I have beenprofoundly influenced by visiting some of the manysocieties/clubs/schools that The Primary Club has been able tohelp in 2013 and I am now fired up to enrol new members inthe 2014 season.

The Primary Club has A4 and A5 posters and I request eachcricket league to distribute these to member clubs at their pre-season meetings – I have yet to receive a response from aleague other than enthusiasm for supporting the Primary Club.

Do you fancy becoming more involved with the Primary Club,meeting some of the grant recipients and enjoying seeing howyour money is being utilised? If so, please do contact me byemail (bob.southward@primaryclub.org) and I’ll be delightedto meet you to explain more about what is involved. Believeme, you will not regret getting involved and spending as muchtime as you can afford helping the Primary Club to raise morefunds.

Bob Southward

The Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) in Hereford wasdelighted to receive £6,300 from The Primary Club in 2013 to fundgoalball and cricket activities.

Money for cricket activities in 2013 was spent on new kit andaccommodation while attending competitions in Kent, Swindon andDorset. It has also been used for 2014 activities which include trophies,registration fees, home and away catering, sight classification andumpires.

The grant also covered a wide range of costs for goalball including trainingkit, eye shades, padding/protective equipment, training courses forlearners, goalballs, goalball court tape, recording equipment, andcoaching software. “Significantly, support from The Primary Club also paidfor entry into a number of competitions,” said Claire Bucklan, FundraisingOfficer at the RNC, “and also covered the cost of overnightaccommodation to attend these competitions.”

Goalballers elsewhere alsobenefited from Club members’generous doonations. Picturedleft are goalballers from theSheffield Royal Society for theBlind – two are training with theGB squad and they also havechampions at archery, reportsPeter Stancill, Community AdviceOfficer

"Clevedon Visually HandicappedBowls Club has been in existancefor well over 20 years,” saidtrustee Allan Pine. “During thesummer season members meetevery Tuesday evening forfriendly “roll-ups”. Over recent

years they have hosted tournaments and games involving visuallyimpaired bowlers from clubs in the region, including Bridgwater, Bath,Gloucester, Cheltenham and Weston-Super-Mare. In July last year the clubbroke new ground by entertaining its first ever touring side. The vistorsfrom Hillingdon and District VHBC provided us with stiff opposition and,although we were ably supported by guest players from neighbouringclubs, Hillingdon ranout worthy winners.It was a memorableday enjoyed by allinvolved.

“Our club memberswould like to expresstheir gratitude andappreciation for thesupport receivedfrom The PrimaryClub.”

WHATHAPPENS

TO YOUR

MONEY?

World’s oldest blindcricket competitionrenamedThe world’s longest running blind cricketcompetition has been renamed in honour ofarguably the game’s greatest ever player.

The competition, now in its 35th year, will now beknown as the British Blind Sport Primary ClubHeindrich Swanepoel Memorial Cup.

"Some people will only remember Heindrich forhis multitude of sporting achievements, but forthose of us who knew him it will also be hiskindness, his humour and his seemingly endlessstrength that will be unforgettable," said DaveGavrilovic, Chairman British Blind Sport Cricket."Heindrich was a true legend of Visually Impairedsport and will be both remembered and muchmissed by so many people. Naming this country’smost iconic Blind Cricket competition after Hein istruly fitting.”

Heindrich Swanepoel was the most successfulblind cricketer of all time. In over 20 years playingfor London Metro, Heindrich won the BBS Cup 10times, reached the final another six times and wonthe national league title eight times. He still holdsthe best ever bowling figures in the cup final, 6 for7 versus Lancashire in 2001. He has also won asuccession of player of the season awards and wasthe last man to captain a side to the league andcup double, achieving the feat in 2003.

Heindrich made his international debut when theEngland team was formed in 1998 and he playedevery international from that point until England’sTwenty20 series against Australia in summer 2012when he finally missed his first match. Thisincluded three world cups and three Ashes series.

Off the field Hein served as Financial Director forthe World Blind Cricket Council for a number ofyears and also had spells as Treasurer of both BBSCricket & BCEW. Aged just 43 Heindrich suffered aheart attack and died on holiday in Morocco at theend of September 2012.

In almost perfect cricketing conditions at TheCounty Ground, Northampton, WarwickshireBears secured the BBS Primary Club HeindrichSwanepoel Memorial Cup for the third year in arow with an eight wicket win against SussexSharks.

The day started with a minute’s applause inhonour of Heindrich Swanepoel. "Our thanks goof course to the Primary Club, without whosesupport blind cricket wouldn’t exist in its currentform and the BBS cup wouldn’t be the longestrunning blind cricket competition in the world,"said David Gavrilovic, Chairman British BlindSport, Cricket. "We would also like to thank DavidSmith, his team at Northants CCC and all thevolunteers who made the day so successful."

Bromley Vision“It is with grateful thanks to The PrimaryClub that yet another hugely successfulpicnic for Bromley’s visually impairedchildren was held last summer at a localScout campsite,” says Lindsey Smith,Teacher of the Visually Impaired at theSensory Support Service, Education, Careand Health Services, London Borough ofBromley.

“The annual picnic has been organised byBromley Council’s Vision Team for the last 10years. The general aim is to bring familiestogether and offer them an opportunity totalk to those in a similar position. But, that’snot the end of it. Although tea and cakes areserved, the children have an opportunity toexperience the delights of a thirty feetclimbing tower.

“And, if that’s not enough, they can then take their turn atarchery and air-rifles – or even at finding their way across anarmy type assault course. For most children these would bechallenges. For blind and visually impaired children, thechallenge is even more pronounced.

“Can you imagine closing your eyes and then being asked to firean arrow into the middle of a target twenty yards away? Whatabout climbing up a tower using your sense of touch as yourcompanion? Not only were the parents very proud of their sonsand daughters for rising to the challenge, the childrenthemselves felt very proud of their achievements, and had athoroughly enjoyable time as well.”

“The main comment heard at the end of the day was “when can Icome back again please.” The group is a huge success and theyoung people love it.”

Cambridge DonsSeveral years of funding from The Primary Club hashelped The Cambridge Dons goalball club flourish –it was founded in 2012 and has grown to 17 members,four of which are fully sighted. The club has three elitelevel players (two of which are part of the GB squadsand one who has taken part in tournaments for GB),about five intermediate players and six noviceplayers – other members are amazingly helpful andmuch appreciated volunteers who are training tobe officials.

The two GB players are Sarah Leiter and WarrenWilson. Sarah has played in a tournament with GB andWarren is currently a squad member with aspirationsto break into the team. Neither had played goalballbefore they joined the team.

Your money has helped

Cricket,playedthe VI wayI recently umpired an extraordinarycricket match in the British BlindSport (BBS) Knock-out Cup betweenSussex Sharks and Berkshire Stags,writes Bob Southward.

The game proved to be rather one-sided with the reigning LeagueChampions Sussex winning againstan inexperienced Berkshire side.However, the result of the game wasnot the abiding memory of the day;rather it was the extraordinary spiritin which the game was played.

During their innings, the SussexSharks never belittled the Stags(pictured below) and spent a lot oftime encouraging the Stags bowlersand helping the first-time Stagscaptain setting his field.

All acts of fielding were met withgenuine words of appreciation by theSharks batsmen.

During the tea break players fromboth sides mixed together and theSharks’ coaching and encouragementcontinued.

The Stags’ innings was brief, but theSharks players used their greaterexperience to good effect bycoaching the Stags’ players duringtheir innings and ensuring that allruns were greeted with words ofencouragement and applause.

The game finished with both sidesgiving their opponents three cheersand vigorous and genuinehandshakes.

I am afraid to say that if the abovegame had taken place in the “redball” environment, I doubt if thevictors would have behaved in such agenuine manner.

BirminghamSportsBirmingham Sports in winningaction at the 2013 British BlindSport Futsal League inHereford, a tournament heldboth indoors and outdoors.

Ten Pin BowlingSwindon hosted theChampionship Finals of theBritish Blind Sport Tenpin Pairsthis year. Each team played 11games and competition waskeen with squads fromSheffield, Basingstoke,Birmingham, Gloucester,Taunton and Fylde;Portsmouth and Swindonitself.

The Mayor of Swindon and hislady supported the event andjoined the evening dinner tohelp present the trophies, togetherwith John Spalton and David Bentley from the Primary Club. Mark Gould, Chairmanof BBS Tenpin thanked the guests and acknowledged that without the support of ThePrimary Club the event would struggle to take place. On behalf of the Primary ClubJohn Spalton and David Bentley commented on how much they had enjoyed thecompetition, and complimented the competitors on both their skill and spirit ofthe game.

fund all this...

Metro DevilsThe Metro Devils, jointwinners of the HerefordDevelopment weekend, andone of the many cricket clubswhich receive funding fromThe Primary Club.

A Primarymiscellany...OUCHDo not follow England and Durhamallrounder Ben Stokes’ approach tobeing out first ball – he angrilypunched a dressingroom locker aftergetting a Primary in the final game ofthe recent Twenty20 series in the WestIndies and had to have surgery on thefractured scaphoid bone in his rightwrist.

BEEFY“I was out first ball a number oftimes,” says Ian Botham in hisautobiography HeadOn, “but I don’tthink it was becauseof nerves. I’m one ofthose batsmen wholikes to feel the ballon the bat, so Iwasn’t a big leaverof balls outside theoff-stump. As aresult, I sometimesplayed at deliveries Ishould have left alone and ended upcaught in the slips, but once I got pastthe first ball or two I’d be fine.”

PIERSWhen Piers Morgan faced Brett Leefor a ‘friendly’ over in the nets inMelbourne, bets were high for agolden duck... Take a look at this clipon YouTube to see what happenednext...www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ePx61TkXKY

DIAMONDSri Lanka fought back from a battingcollapse to pull off a two-wicketvictory over India in the Asia Cup.

But the game was rather moreremarkable in that Indian batsmanBhuvneshwar Kumar collected a very,very rare variation on a ‘diamondduck’ (being out without facing asingle ball). Kumar was stumped off awide to grace the scorecard with ‘0 off0 balls’. The Primary Club newsletterstaff are only aware of one otherexample of this in ODIs – Canada'sHenry Osinde against Ireland in2009 – but we would be pleased tohear from members who believeotherwise...

“We don’t do anything very dynamic buthave a lot of fun visiting places ofinterest and making them as tactile aspossible,” says Sue Richards from theMilton Keynes Torch Fellowship.

“The Primary Club very kindly helped tofund trips to the Stockwood DiscoveryCentre and to see one of the beautifulstained glass windows in the BunyanMeeting House in Bedford.

“We are always most grateful to ThePrimary Club for the money you are able

to provide to ensure that we have enoughhelpers to give all our visually impairedmembers as positive experience aspossible.”

Meanwhile, Linda Maestranzi,Development Officer at Berkshire CountyBlind Society told the newsletter aboutPrimary Club-funded activities includingskiing at the Snow Centre, HemelHempstead, playing Beep Baseball at theFarnham Baseball Centre, and trainingwith Reading Athletics Club.

“In 2013 we received a donation from youto buy smaller tandems for our cyclingendeavours,” says David Shaftoe, OpenCountry Project Officer. “With theexpanded range of tandems, we are nowable to contemplate feats that wouldpreviously have been quite beyond us. In2013 for example, we were very proud tocomplete the Way of the Roses, the 170mile cross-country route from Bridlingtonto Morecambe.

“It almost goes without my saying that wethank The Primary Club unreservedly forits ongoing support over the last few yearsand really do appreciate your wonderfulhelp.”

[Pictured top, Braille Chess Association, which

regularly receives funding from The Primary Club]

Projects roundup

Dear Member,

2014 marks the tenth anniversary of my appointment asyour Hon Secretary and I make no apologies for returningto the subject of money.

In the year just ended our income fell again, by about£18,000 (or 12%). While our core income of members’donations just about held up, the things that make all thedifference, such as legacies, were down to just £5,000. Atleast new memberships were up this year, by 50% to 250.We have only been able to maintain this year’s grants atnearly £200,000 by almost halving our reserves to£75,000.

This year’s newsletter goes out to about 7,500 members, ata cost of about £1 a head. Of those, about 2,800 havemade a donation this year. I’m told that a response rate ofnearly 40% to a mailing is very good; if we could get it upto 50% that would be exceptional and would make a hugedifference to the Club’s income.

Standing orders currently produce £41,000 a year; if youhaven’t yet made one, you can download the form fromthe membership section of our website – or just tick thebox on the donation form when sending this year’sdonation. And, if you are about to do something about thatNew Year resolution to make a will, don’t forget the Club inyour list of bequests: gifts to charities are exempt fromInheritance Tax!

One side effect of England’s recent batting problems hasbeen the increase, this year, of the amount due under Rule5(c) (see p2) – why not round up that £8 to £10 beforeadding it to this year’s regular donation?

On the subject of Rule 5(c), I ought to mention one KevinPietersen. Whilst he seems to divide cricket followers likeno other current player, he has, unintentionally I’m sure,generated more donations under the rule in the nine yearssince his debut than any other England player in the sameperiod, having been dismissed first ball four times in hometests (and once abroad). He is closely followed by MattPrior (five times in all but only three at home).

My best wishes to you all for an enjoyable and, for thoseamong you still playing, a successful 2014 season.

Yours sincerely

Chris Larlham

From the Hon Sec…THE PRIMARY CLUB FORECAST RESULT FOR YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2010

2013/14 2012/13£ (forecast) £(actual)

Joining subscriptions and donations 114,082 124,707 Exceptional items 5,000 10,000Profit on sales of merchandise 1,531 1,693Tax claim under Gift Aid 21,875 21,392Interest receivable 1,915 3,752

Total income 144,403 161,544

Publicity and administration costs (12,288) (10,827)

Surplus for the year 132,115 150,717Surplus from earlier years 141,242 189,328

273,357 340,045

Grants (details below) 198,710 198,803Surplus to carry forward 74,647 141,242

Note: Copies of the Club’s full accounts are available from the Honorary Treasurer.

2014 GRANTS TO SCHOOLS AND CLUBS FOR THE BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTEDBerkshire Co Blind Soc Monthly sports club & cricket club 7,000Birmingham Sports Club Futsal & goalball 6,000Blind Cricket England & Wales Equipment and development programme 7,700Braille Chess Association Tournament support 3,900British Blind Sport Cricket - KO Final 7,260

Tenpin bowling 3,396Shooting 246 10,902

Bromley London Borough Children’s picnic 600Cambridge Dons Goalball expenses 2,250Chesham Pioneers VIBC Venue hire & transport 1,000Cheshire Cobras VICC Start-up & 2014 season expenses 4,000Cricket for Change Development programme 8,640

Women’s Nepal tournament 4,000Derbyshire Assoc for the Blind Swimming and tenpin bowling 5,992Derbyshire VICC 2014 Season expenses 2,000 Devon Bowling Club 2014 Season expenses 2,500Durham VICC 2014 Season expenses 3,000East London Vision “Come & Try It” Project 4,000English Blind Golf Assoc 2014 Matchplay Championship 3,000Hampshire VICC 2014 season expenses 3,000Kent VICAG 2014 season expenses 3,000Kirklees Education Service Freedom climber 11,000Lancashire Lions VICC 2014 Season expenses 3,000London Futsal Club 2014 season expenses 2,340London Sports Club Swimming 1,000Merton Sports Club Hall hire & insurance 1,850Metro Cricket& tennis 8,000Middlesex VICC 2013 Season expenses 2,430Milton Keynes Torch Fellowship Holidays for members 1,000National Blind Tenpin Bowling Winter Trios League 2013 2,500Association, BelfastNew College Worcester Skiing trip 6,000Northants Steelbacks VICC 2014 season expenses 3,000Nottingham Knights VICC 2014 Season expenses 2,000Nottinghamshire VICC 2014 season expenses 3,000Open Country Tools & equipment 2,000Outlook Adventure Equipment 10,000RLSB Sport for choice week 5,300Royal National College, Hereford Goalball 1,050St Benedict School Transport 2,000Scottish Blind Golf Soc 2014 Strokeplay Championship 1,950SeeAbility Tandems & sensory room 7,900Sheffield RSB Bowls 600Sight Service Sporting activities 5,830Somerset VICC 2014 season expenses 3,000South West Rovers 2013-14 football expenses 4,000Surrey VICC 2014 Season expenses 3,000Sussex Sharks VICC 2014 season expenses and juniors 3,000Tandeming Together Tandem maintenance & transport 1,920 Taunton Deane VI Bowls Season expenses & equipment 2,500VI-Ability Summer camp 2013 3,000VIB Somerset Bowling club season expenses 3,500VIC Staines Swimming & go-karting 780Vision North Somerset Swimming 1,776Warwickshire VICC 2014 season expenses 3,000Yorkshire VICC 2014 season expenses 3,000

£198,710

As a young girl growing up in a generallysnow-free Northern Ireland, KellyGallagher's favourite toy was a skiingBarbie. Thanks to the doll's gaudy outfit,Gallagher could make out its appearance,but only if she held it close to her eyes,which from birth have been severelyaffected by a form of albinism. She neverimagined she could ever ski herself.

“She had pink ski boots and a fashionablepink jumpsuit and she was just awesome,”Gallagher recalls. “I must have been aboutsix or seven and I had to wait another 10years to get on snow myself. But once Iclicked into those skis I thought, this is it –catch me if you can.”

Now aged 28, Gallagher is among fourwomen who have elevated a hithertounheralded sport. Early on Mondaymorning, she won Britain's first WinterParalympics gold behind her guide and bestfriend, Charlotte Evans. Fellow Brits JadeEtherington and her guide, Caroline Powell,won a bronze medal in the same Super-Gevent at Sochi, adding to the silver theybagged in the downhill on Saturday.

“It means so much,” Gallagher saysshortly after her medal ceremony. “Wewere clocked in training at 104kmh[65mph]. When you think I wouldn't sit on acar bonnet going that fast, the idea that I'mdoing it in a catsuit with only a backprotector is a really special thing.”

Being almost blind is notably absent fromthis consideration, because Gallagher,whose eyes alone cannot tell her whethershe is standing still or going downhill fast,

has never felt disabled. Not long after thoseBarbie days, she began to inline skate andrefused to be seen with a white cane. Aged17, during a French family holiday, sheinsisted on a diversion to Andorra and herfirst ski lesson.

“Things got lost in translation at firstwhen I explained to the instructor that Icouldn't see,” she says. “He said, yes, thevisibility is quite bad today.” Gallagher,who is unable to drive or cycle, perseveredand became instantly hooked. “I can't findthat speed in any other activity. There's justnothing I can compare it to.”

It's not clear when visually impairedsnow-lovers first put blind faith in otherskiers, but they have only had a place at theParalympics since the 1998 Winter Gamesin Nagano. They follow closely behind full-sighted racers who wear luminous bibs,receiving directions from them via audioheadsets.

Evans, a former solo racer who beganworking with blind skiers while recoveringfrom injury in 2009, met Gallagher fouryears ago. “At first, it was more Kelly theathlete and me kind of like the carer, but it'sdefinitely equal now,” she says. “My job isto get her down as safely and quickly aspossible, things that don't usually gotogether, but it works.”

James Redpath is an adaptive skiinginstructor and administrator at theBritish Disabled Ski Team, which ismanaged by Disability Snowsport UK.He hopes success in Sochi will triggergreater awareness and funding. “We

basically run the team on a shoestring,” hesays. “We only have two full-time membersof staff… If we are going to progress it'svery important that this changes.”

John Dickinson-Lilley is a visuallyimpaired skier whose Sochi dreams weredashed when his guide retired last summerafter getting a “proper job”. John, 35, whofunds his training while working as head ofpublic policy for Sport England, is appealingfor a new guide before the next WinterParalympics in South Korea.

“These results aren't from big corporatesponsors or loads of public money, buthuge commitment and individualinvestment,” he says. “They could be greatnews for the sport and will hopefullyinspire a new generation of young disabledpeople to take up all kinds of skiing.”

The sport offers visually impaired peoplemore than thrills and freedom, saysDickinson-Lilley, whose eyesight began tofail due to a brain condition when he was13. “It makes you more independent andmobile because it sharpens your ability toperceive things around you.”

As the sport develops, Gallagher findseven less to separate her from able-bodiedskiers. “We can guess the kind of speedwe're doing but when I saw it up there, Ithought, this is something to be proud of –we're up there with the best in the sportand it's really exciting.”

Many thanks to The Independent(www.independent.co.uk) where this article firstappeared for allowing us to reproduce it here.

The editor welcomescontributions. Any personal

cricketing oddity, especiallyinvolving a primary, would

be welcome. Photoswould be a bonus!

PLEASECONTRIBUTE!

The Primary Club, PO Box 12121, Saffron Walden, Essex CB10 2ZFTel: 01799 586507 Email secretary@primaryclub.org Website: www.primaryclub.orgRegistered charity no 285285

Editor: Alex Johnson, em

ail: alex.johnson@em

pathymedia.co.uk D

esign: Steve Cowell, em

ail: design@scanda.co.uk

Winning winter medals

● Jade Etherington: photo by Laura Hale

We were delighted for Jade Etherington – a recipient of previous grants from ThePrimary Club – who won four Winter Paralympics medals this year.Here, SimonUsborne from The Independent writes about visually-impaired skiing.