Rich Words for Members

 

08/04 Dear member I hope you and your loved ones enjoyed the Easter weekend, and that you are doing well as the start of the county season at home moves into view. Our ground has seldom been quiet ever since I first arrived back in December, but it has certainly been a hive of activity over the past few weeks as spring has finally arrived. Ahead of the start of the season, please find the latest updates from the club below. Cricket I made the trip down to Taunton on Friday to see Notts begin the season against Somerset, and there were plenty of individual performances to celebrate in a hard-earned draw against a side which typically competes towards the top of the table. I’m now looking forward to seeing competitive cricket from my office window as Glamorgan provide the opposition from Friday. The Blaze’s first fixture of the season follows hot on the heels of Notts’ home season-opener, with Lancashire visiting Trent Bridge on Wednesday 15 April. I’m sure you’ll join me in wishing Craig, Kirstie and the team all the best for 2026. We’ve also seen more international recognition for our players in recent weeks. Maria Andrews and Diya Badge have been called up by England Women U19, with Flora Davies named as a reserve, while Conor McKerr has received a call-up for Scotland A’s T20 side. My congratulations go to all four of them as they make their next steps at international level. Member listening event I’d like to thank those of you who joined me for our listening events during the friendly against Loughborough UCCE. I found it really useful to be able to gain a first-hand understanding of your views and priorities, and I hope those of you who attended found the sessions productive. A number of topics were discussed across the events – from the current experience of being a member to your opinions on our longer-term priorities – and your feedback will have an important role to play as we develop our club strategy. Read a summary of themes discussed at the events here… I’ll be sure to keep you informed on the development of our strategy, and look forward to providing another in-person opportunity for you to share your thoughts at our next members’ forum, during the lunch interval on Friday 8 May (Notts v Surrey day one). West Park We’ve recently been able to formally complete a 25-year lease on the cricket facility at West Park, a few hundred yards away from Trent Bridge. This will help us to meet the ever-increasing need for cricket pitches, and will be a key venue for our men’s and women’s player pathways, as well as hosting children’s cricket sessions, disability cricket, the ACE Programme and a newly-formed LGBTQ+ team. Securing this lease has been a real team effort, and my thanks go to everyone at the club who has helped to bring the project to fruition. Read more on the lease here… Community Trust I’d like to congratulate the Trent Bridge Community Trust on securing two new streams of funding to allow their work to reach more people, in more areas of our county. This includes £27,000 from the ECB’s Strategic EDI Fund to support the continued growth of girls’ cricket and assist clubs in diversifying their committees. New funding has also been secured to allow the flagship Positive Futures programme to operate in Ashfield for the first time, focusing on the often-difficult transition from primary to secondary education. We know that Positive Futures’ tailored approach to supporting young people at risk of social exclusion makes a real difference, and I’m delighted that we’ll now be able to have a significant impact further north in the county. The Trust also recently hosted Eid prayers on the Trent Bridge outfield to commemorate the end of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, which attracted more attendees than ever before. Many of those who joined us for our Eid and Ramadan events were visiting Trent Bridge for the very first time. Through hosting these events, we’re able to break down barriers and prove that we are a club and venue which truly welcomes everyone. Trent Rockets We recently announced some changes to the makeup of the Trent Rockets board, with myself and Andy Afford joining the board on behalf of the club. Whether from his successful playing career or his time on the General Committee, I know Andy will be a familiar name and face to many of you, and he also brings a wealth of skills and experience from a post-playing career in journalism and the creative industries. As part of the changes, Mick Newell and Lisa Pursehouse have stood down from their roles as Directors, but both retain their executive roles with Trent Rockets as Director of Cricket and Chief Executive respectively. I’d like to thank them for their invaluable work as Trent Rockets Directors over the past few months, during which time they’ve ensured a smooth and successful transition for the Rockets into the new ownership structure. Read more on the make-up of the Trent Rockets board here… In any sport, the start of a season is a special time – and as the days get brighter and warmer at long last, I can’t wait to welcome you through our gates for the opening exchanges of the summer. Thank you for your continued support. Richard Kenyon Chief Executive

24/03

Dear Member, I hope you’re well, and are looking forward to the return of county cricket after a decidedly wet winter. This month has been busy both on and off the field; my latest update includes information on our upcoming member listening events, a round-up of our AGM, and the latest from our cricket and community teams. Member listening event It was great to meet so many of you at last week’s AGM. It was clear to me what our club and venue mean to you all, and I’m excited to work with you to look after the club and grow it over the coming months and years. As mentioned at the AGM, I’m keen to hear your feedback about being a member – and to better understand your interests and priorities. With this in mind, I’d like to invite you to a listening event on Wednesday 25 March – during our pre-season friendly against Loughborough UCCE – to give you an opportunity to share your views. I’m particularly keen to discuss how we can best engage with members, along with your thoughts on the club’s strategy and our facilities. There will be two opportunities to take part on the day – either during the lunch interval (1pm) or after the close of play (6.30pm approx.). If you are interested in joining us, please register here, and we’ll be in touch with further information. AGM update At the AGM, we confirmed the members who were elected to our General Committee for 2026. I’d like to pass on my congratulations to Ravi Badge, Penny Huggard and Fraser Montgomery – and to Ade Brant, who was appointed by the Nominations Panel. My thanks also go to Dave Gunn and Stephen Lehane for their service to the club, as their time on the Committee comes to a close. I confirmed during the AGM that we intend to bring the brand of The Blaze more into line with the Nottinghamshire’s men’s teams from 2027. Ever since they arrived at Trent Bridge in the winter of 2022, The Blaze have been at the heart of this club – and even in my short time here, it has been clear that they are fully embedded in everything we do. Following the transition from a regional to a county-based model for women’s cricket in this country, this feels the right time to unify our professional sides under the Nottinghamshire banner. We’ll share further information on this in the coming months. I hope those of you who attended the AGM found the speeches delivered, and the opportunity to ask questions, useful. More details on the topics covered at the AGM can be found here… Cricket Our most recent Club Showcase was delivered by our Directors of Cricket, Mick Newell and James Cutt. Mick and James spoke of their pre-season preparations, strategic priorities and plans for the future across our men’s and women’s teams. Watch their presentation here… Our men’s academy side have recently returned from their pre-season trip to Mumbai, which I’m sure was a great learning experience both on and off the field. Notts and The Blaze's tours to Abu Dhabi have been cancelled in light of the current situation in the Middle East, with Notts now travelling to South Africa between 10 and 21 March. Our thoughts are with those affected by the situation in the region, and we will provide further updates on pre-season plans in due course. Our men’s and women’s sides have been bolstered by new signings in recent weeks, and I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Charli Knott and George Munsey – and to welcome Orla Prendergast back to the club for a third successive season. Marking Ramadan Last week, we marked Ramadan with an Iftar event for staff, with the Adhan call-to-prayer heard across the ground through the Trent Bridge speaker system. I joined some of my colleagues in fasting for the day, which gave me a new appreciation of the commitment and sacrifice shown by those who fast throughout the month. Watch a short video on the event here… Thank you, as ever for your support. I look forward to seeing you in the opening weeks of the season.

Richard Kenyon Chief Executive