SOA Youth Sports Charity

The Charity has a well-established policy of paying bursaries to young players who participate in the Club’s annual Devon Tour. As testament to the value of such bursaries, a recent recipient wrote:“I would just like to say how much I enjoyed the SOA tour in North Devon. It has really allowed me to develop my game through playing some seriously high standard opposition as well as to make new friends.”

Another wrote: “This was my first tour and it was nice to play several days of cricket. I think my bowling is improving steadily, and the tour helped.”

And, for the first time, in 2016 the Charity provided a bursary to a young player who went with the Club on a very successful tour in Sri Lanka. Alexander Basford, who was 15 at the time, contributed importantly with bat, ball and in the field. He wrote enthusiastically about the experience, the development in his own game, and the friendships made. Playing against high quality opposition in unfamiliar conditions was a valuable opportunity, and he thanked the Trustees for the financial support that enabled him to go.

These bursaries are only made possible thanks to the generosity of members and friends of SOA, who have ensured that the endowment fund target of £20,000 has been reached within the first decade of the Charity's existence. The Trustees are enormously grateful for these donations, and are confident that this endowment, suitably enhanced in the years to come, will enable the Charity to fund bursaries for UK and overseas tours in perpetuity.

Anyone who would like to support the Charity, either through a gift aided contribution or a legacy pledge, is asked to contact Dan Hawes via the SOA e-mail address which is: admin@soacc.co.uk .