East Midlands-based managed service provider (MSP) Air IT, has strengthened its partnership with Derbyshire County Cricket Club to launch an under-16s catching competition.
Taking place across selected Vitality Blast home games in July and August, the competition aims to encourage local children to get involved with sport whilst fundraising for the important work of Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity.
Paul Judge, Marketing Director at Air IT, said: “As a long-standing sponsor of Derbyshire, we’re delighted to extend our association with the club. Nothing like this has ever been done before so we’re looking forward to shaking things up and seeing our Tech Tom and iTina mascots come to life for another action-packed season of cricket whilst raising vital funds for Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity.”
Chris Maddox, Community and Corporate Partnerships Manager at Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity adds: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be part of this exciting series of events over the season and we are grateful for the continued support of Derbyshire County Cricket Club and Air IT. It’s a great chance to get involved, win some prizes and support your local hospitals in the process.”
To compete in the catching competition, youngsters will need to grab one of ten golden tickets from an Air IT mascot during the first half of any Twenty20 home game between Friday 26 July and Thursday 15 August. Contestants will then be tested on their catching skills during the match interval with one lucky winner set to receive a Derbyshire County Championship shirt.
Each winner and their family will be invited back to the Falcons vs Steelbacks game on Friday 23 August – with a chance to compete again and win further prizes including an iPad, a coaching session with a first-team player and overall glory as the U16s catching competition champion.
Jimmy Drew, Commercial Manager at Derbyshire County Cricket Club said: “We’re really excited with the prospect of the catching competition that will run at the Pattonair County Ground this summer.
“The children taking part will have the chance to battle it out to progress to the final on the Friday 23 August (our last home Vitality Blast game against Northants), and to then win some great prizes! It’s great working closely with two of our key partners on this initiative, Air IT and Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity.”
The Vitality Blast season is due to commence on Thursday 18 July, with Derbyshire Falcons first appearance scheduled on Saturday 20 July vs Yorkshire Vikings at Queens Park, Chesterfield. The five qualifying rounds of the catching competition will take place during home games at The Pattonair County Ground on the following dates:
Air IT is an official sponsor of Derbyshire County Cricket Club and recently took over naming rights to the Air IT Elite Performance Centre. Last year, it became the first Managed Service Provider in the East Midlands to achieve a three-Star Service Desk Institute (SDI) Certification and is independently ranked as one of the world’s most progressive MSPs and number one in the Midlands.
Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity aims to make patient lives better by providing the extras that cannot be funded by the NHS. It was founded on July 1 2019 following the merger of five hosptials across southern Derbyshire and south east Staffordshire.
Vitality Blast is back this month! Tickets for all seven home matches on sale now, including the big clash against Notts Outlaws on Friday 26 July. Buy online or call 01332 388 101.
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