Virgin Atlantic Cargo helps deliver cricket gear to kids in South Africa

Children receiving cricket equipment in South Africa
Virgin Atlantic
Natalie Clarkson
by Natalie Clarkson
24 January 2023

Virgin Atlantic Cargo has helped deliver cricket equipment to underprivileged children in South Africa.

Teaming up with Bat for a Chance (BFAC), the cricket charity that helps underprivileged children experience the joy of cricket, and The CATCH Trust in a new South African cricket partnership for 2023, Virgin Atlantic Cargo is helping to spread the sport to more communities around the world.

A child holding a cricket bat and wearing a helmet
Virgin Atlantic

BFAC will work with Virgin Atlantic Cargo as part of a continuing programme of kit donations across the world, scheduled for 2023. The programme kicked off last year in Barbados and Pakistan working with the Roland Butcher Academy in Barbados and the sports charity FemGames led in Pakistan by Ebba Qureshi, a trustee of the charity and the wife of former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood. BFAC is a partner of Sri Lanka’s leading charity, The Foundation of Goodness and Kushil Gunasekera.

The kit donations in South Africa were overseen by The CATCH Trust, which has a passion for delivering community cricket-led initiatives. The trust has been supporting the Khayelitsha township in the Western Cape since 2014. It is working to bring gender equality in the sport and create opportunities for marginalised communities.

Virgin Atlantic Cargo has helped BFAC to deliver 18 bags of equipment to bring cricket into marginalised communities.

A cricket coach holding a helmet
Virgin Atlantic

Phil Wardlaw, managing director at Virgin Atlantic Cargo, said: “We couldn’t be more thrilled to be continuing our partnership with Bat for a Chance to bring our expertise in transporting cargo to such a worthy project. We’re also grateful for the support of our freight forwarding partner, Woodland Group, in supporting this shipment.

“At Virgin Atlantic, our purpose is to empower everyone to take on the world and use our business as a force for good, through our communities, our people, and our partners. Partnering with Bat for a Chance means Virgin Atlantic Cargo is able to bring a real opportunity for children to participate in this wonderful sport and experience the joy of cricket, in South Africa and across the world.”

Visit Bat For A Chance to find out more.