August 20, 2019
By Sahr Morris Jnr
Sydney Thunder, a well-known men’s and women’s T20 team in Australia, have further cemented their relationship with Kent Cricket Club in Sierra Leone by providing them with large and generous donations of cricket equipment and clothing.
Commenting on the donation, Sydney Thunder Fan and Community Engagement Specialist, Jonathan Lees, said “Sydney Thunder is committed to making a real and meaningful contribution to communities across the Thunder Nation. Our purpose is to be a loved Club that inspires and unites our Thunder Nation, across western Sydney, regional New South Wales, ACT and overseas…We focus our community impact initiatives on; Indigenous engagement, health & education and social cohesion. These initiatives exist on and off the cricket field and they are an extension of our purpose and we strive to make a positive impact in the community, influences behaviours and attitudes”.
Cricket has been a big part of Jonathan’s life; as a junior player, a fan and now through his work with Sydney Thunder, his passion for the game is inspiring and it is fantastic to be able to work alongside somebody with such a hunger for developing the game. He said “I have been working in cricket for nine years now, across a number of different roles. Across my time being involved with cricket, I have witnessed its ability to bring communities together, to celebrate culture and provide a great way to get outdoors and be physically active”.
He disclosed that another set of donations have been sent to the shipping company and it will be on it way to Sierra Leone pretty soon. “Seeing the work Kent Cricket Club has done at a grassroots level has been incredibly inspiring. It is clear that Kent Cricket Club is passionate about bringing the local community together and inspiring young girls and boys to play cricket. This mission aligns closely with Sydney Thunder and we feel that we have a role to play to support their work across the community through the donation of equipment and uniform….We know that the most important work is being done on the ground at a grassroots level in Sierra Leone. If we, at Sydney Thunder, can help inspire young girls and boys to play cricket and connect as a community, then that is a positive outcome. Long-term, we will continue to look at additional ways that we can support the development of cricket and promoting social cohesion in the community”.
He further explained that, “Sydney Thunder Front Office team is impressed and inspired by the work being done by Kent Cricket Club to inspire and unite the local community. The Thunder Nation extends throughout the world and it is great to see the passion and excitement coming from Kent Cricket Club and Sierra Leone…We are always looking for ways to make a sustainable impact in the community. We are keen to look at ways that we can add even more support to the Kent Cricket Club, both on and off the field”. Lees concluded.
Receiving the donation in Freetown, Kent Cricket Club Chief Executive Officer, Emmanuel Pessima said: ” We are extremely delighted to be building on our relationship with Sydney Thunder and with this new donation I am thrilled that we as a club are able to extend the message of the Thunder Nation. Hopefully this donation will help us to provide opportunities for more children to become involved in cricket in the country.