Worcestershire Supporters Association Treasurer, John Wright, is undertaking a sponsored walk around New Road to raise funds for The Rotary Club of Worcester project in aid of lonely, elderly and distressed people.
John will undertake three laps of the stadium’s pathway – approximately one mile – during the lunch interval on day two of the LV=Insurance County Championship match with Durham, Wednesday September 20.
The Rotary Club of Worcester is currently celebrating its 100th birthday, having been formed in February 1923, and then receiving its Charter from Rotary International in April 2024.
It was decided to mark the centenary by creating an area in Gheluvelt Park, Barbourne, Worcester for vulnerable groups in society and any funds raised from John’s sponsored walk around New Road will go towards financing the project.
John, who has just ended his term as President of the Rotary Club, has been a loyal Worcestershire supporter for many years and also a member of the Worcestershire Cricket Society.
He said: “To celebrate the 100th year of the Rotary Club, as well as holding celebratory parties, we decided to mark the anniversary with a project in Gheluvelt Park.
“A real problem these days is people feeling lonely and isolated and so our plan is to create an area in the Park for the use of elderly, lonely and distressed people.
“We have made start and have already created three planters full of flowers on the North side of the park. This been done out of our own funds.
“We would also like to create benches, where people can meet and talk to each other, and have sign boards put up indicating the way the area should be used.
“What we can achieve depends on the funds we raise and the main organiser, this year’s Rotary Club President Anne Pooley, has asked members to do a sponsored walk of a length convenient to them and raise money through sponsorship.
“I suggested I might like to do one at New Road, which is a place that means so much to me, and I discovered that three circuits of the ground on the pathway comes to just over one mile.
“My plan was originally to do those circuits on the fourth day of the Glamorgan game at the lunch interval but Worcestershire won with a day to spare so we are doing it on the second day of the Durham game instead.”
Anyone wanting to donate can contact John on the day of the walk at New Road or send cheques made out to ‘The Rotary Club Of Worcester’ c-o Worcestershire CCC, New Road, Worcester.