L-R: Tess Reay, Worcestershire County Cricket Club; Joe Leach, Club Captain, Worcestershire County Cricket Club and Sara Matthews St Richard’s Hospice
Worcestershire Country Cricket Club is throwing its support behind a city elephant parade this summer and will welcome the full 65-strong herd to New Road.
The club, affectionately known as ‘the Pears’ locally, is to sponsor an elephant for Worcester’s Big Parade which opens on 12 July. At the end of the eight-week art trail, the club will host farewell events where all elephants – large and small – will be seen together for the first and last time before the large sculptures are auctioned off to raise funds for St Richard’s Hospice.
A long-time supporter of the hospice and the care it provides to local patients and their families, Worcestershire County Cricket Club has chosen St Richard’s as its club charity of the year for 2021.
David Hoskins, Worcestershire CCC Head of Commercial and Operations, said: “Supporting local charities and good causes is something which has always been important to our players and staff. That includes St Richard’s and the incredible care it provides to local people and their loved ones in the latter stages of their lives.
“Worcester’s Big Parade is the perfect opportunity to get the city smiling again this summer while raising funds for a charity which helps so many others smile in the most challenging of times.
“We can’t wait to see our club elephant out on parade and to play host to the whole herd at the beginning of October.”
Sara Matthews, Business Development Manager for St Richard’s, said: “We’re thrilled to have Worcestershire CCC involved in the parade and as host of our farewell events. We know trail-goers loved seeing all our giraffes together for one last final time in 2018, so the events at New Road will create many happy memories locally.”
Worcester’s Big Parade is a Wild in Art event being brought to the city by St Richard’s Hospice. It is supported by partners Crowngate, Worcester City Council, Worcester Business Improvement District (BID), DRPG, West Midland Safari Park the Worcester News and BBC Hereford & Worcester.
Elephants will march into the city on Monday 12 July before leaving on Sunday 5 September 2021. After this, trail-goers will have the chance to say a last ‘goodbye’ at farewell events at Main Road on Thursday 30 September – Sunday 3 October and again from Thursday 7 October – Sunday 10 Oct 2021. Tickets for farewell events will go on sale in July via www.worcestersbigparade.co.uk. The large elephants will be auctioned to raise funds for St Richard’s in October 2021.
To find out more, visit www.worcestersbigparade.co.uk. You can also follow Worcester’s Big Parade at www.facebook.com/WorcestersBigParade, www.twitter.com/WorcsBigParade and www.Instagram.com/WorcsBigParade.
