Giles Clarke, Chair of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), has pledged the ECB’s full support for the UNICEF appeal fund in aid of the Pacific island of Vanuatu which has been devastated by Super Cyclone Pam. UNICEF has mounted a major relief effort aimed at helping the estimated 132,000 islanders – including more than 50,000 children – who were affected when the category five cyclone struck the island last weekend.
The ICC – and the co-hosts of ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, Cricket Australia and New Zealand – had earlier both announced that they would jointly contribute $200,000 to support the disaster fund. The ECB will also be supporting the relief fund in its capacity as a full member of ICC and is encouraging cricket fans in this country to give generously towards the appeal.
The ECB Chair, who also chairs ICC’s Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee, said: “It’s important that the whole game is united in offering support to the people of Vanuatu as they come to terms with the impact of such an appalling natural disaster. Cricket in Vanuatu has strong links with this country and the sport has benefited from considerable investment by ICC since the island’s cricket association first joined ICC as an affiliate nation two decades ago. At ECB, we are always keen to help fellow cricketing nations when a natural disaster strikes and we would urge all cricket fans to dig deep in support of this appeal and help UNICEF bring the maximum level of assistance to those who need it most.”
•Cricket fans who would like to make a donation to the UNICEF relief fund can do by visiting www.unicef.org.uk/cyclone.