Adopted Charity

AEV has chosen The Lord's Taverners as their official charity for 2010.

The Lord’s Taverners is a national club and charity with a history dating back to 1950, when it was founded by a group of cricket loving actors, led by Martin Boddey, in the old Tavern at Lord’s

They now raise and give away around £2 million a year with the aim ‘to give young people, particularly those with special needs, a sporting chance.’  Their current President is Mike Gatting, who offers great support, which involved in 2005 leading ‘The Ashes Walk’, a 1200 mile fundraising walk around the country.

Their ethos is to have fun whilst fundraising.  This is done through a wide variety of events, including lunches and dinners, glamorous balls, golf days and encore-winning concerts.  They also have their own celebrity cricket team that can be found entertaining crowds across the country on most weekends in the summer.

At the heart of The Lord’s Taverners is the tireless work of the volunteers in 46 regions, which stretch the length and breadth of the country.  Each carries out its own fundraising activities.  The regions also help to identify specific needs locally where grants can be made.

Twenty-one of these regions are run by The Lady Taverners, a distinctive fundraising arm of the charity.  Since being formed in 1987, The Lady Taverners, whose current President is Rachael Heyhoe Flint, have raised over £6 million, reinforcing their motto of raising ‘more than a smile.’ 

The there are the youth stormtroopers, The Young Lord’s Taverners, founded in 1988, comprising of young professionals of both sexes in the age bracket 20 – 35.  They hold their own fundraising activities including balls, wine tasting and cricket competitions.   

The Lord's Taverners aims to give away each year all the money raised. Grants are distributed in the following proportions:

• 50% to help the development of youth cricket, particularly In inner cities areas
• 35% to supply specially adapted minibuses to special needs organisations
• 15% to supply sports equipment to organisations for young people with special needs

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are principal advisers on how  funds to youth cricket should be spent.  They give away approximately 1,000 cricket equipment bags to clubs and schools each year at Youth (Under-16), Colt (Under-13) and Junior Bags (Under-11) levels.  They also fund national competitions like the Inner Cities Cup and Street Cricket.

The charity's  trademark green minibuses provide recreational opportunities for organisations looking after young people with special needs.  This year Andrew Flintoff, our Young Lord’s Taverners President, presented their 750th minibus at Lord’s Cricket Ground.  These buses make a real difference as they are adapted to each organisation’s own needs.  They give the young people the opportunity to see the world beyond the confines of the organisation that cares for them.

Grants are also given to provide sports and recreational equipment for young people with special needs.  They have helped over 2,000 organisations with equipment ranging from sports wheelchairs to special pool hoists, multi-sensory equipment to playground equipment. Youngsters are encouraged to participate in sporting and recreational activities within a group environment believing such activity helps to build their self confidence, social skills and general fitness and allow them to achieve goals which may otherwise be beyond their reach.

If you would like to help The Lord’s Taverners there are many ways of doing this including sponsoring an event or advertising in our membership magazine ‘The Long Room.’  Donations are always gratefully received.  Or you can become a ‘Friend of The Lord’s Taverners.’

For more information please visit www.lordstaverners.org or contact The Lord’s Taverners, 10 Buckingham Place, London SW1E 6HX Tel: 020 7821 2828  

AEV will be raising funds for Lord’s Taverners throughout 2010 and in particular at AEO Excellence Awards ceremony in June. If you would like to make a donation to the charity through AEV, please contact us on 01442 285 811.

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