Cricket Derbyshire India Club’s annual Diwali event took place on Saturday 28th October at the Incora County Ground providing a vibrant celebration, delicious food and vital funds raised.
The 2023 Diwali celebrations were held in the Greene King IPA Marquee at the Incora County Ground, with incredible support for this popular showpiece event. The evening featured bhangra music, Bollywood dancers, fireworks, and a traditional Indian 3-course meal.
This was the 9th Cricket Derbyshire India Club have been successfully running the Diwali celebrations for the past 10 years. The event brings together individuals and businesses from across Derby and the wider community to celebrate the festival of lights.
The cricket Derbyshire India club Diwali event drew sponsorship from Bowmer and Kirkland, TMS Management, Bal Construction, Central England Co-Operative, Specsavers, Slice of India, AG Fencing and Landscaping, Sky Recruitment Solutions, Trent Barton, East Midlands Chamber, Enable Services Group, HSKSG, Icons Talent, NK Motor Group, SmartParc, Clayton & Co, Unite, Ursus Construction, and Fairfax Meadow – raised vital funds for the Derbyshire Cricket Foundation (Registered Charity No. 1155801).
The Derbyshire Cricket Foundation (DCF) is a dedicated charity that uses the power of cricket to engage and inspire people in Derbyshire to have a lasting connection with the game. The DCF provide an inclusive range of projects and activities that help work in line with our purpose of Empowering communities and improving lives through cricket. The Foundation is the governing body for recreational cricket in Derbyshire and supports the development of over 100 cricket clubs as well as delivering cricket programmes to over 150 schools in the county.
DCF Community & Partnerships Manager, Mark Barber said:
“The annual Diwali Celebration is now a well renowned feature of our events programme and we are incredibly grateful for the support received. This event brings together the Derby and Derbyshire community and is a phenomenal celebration of the diversity of the city of Derby. Seeing so many people come together, celebrate, and support our work is incredibly humbling. I’ll finish with a huge thank you to everyone who supported the event on the evening.
The 2023 event was even bigger than the record year of 2022, raising in excess of £15,000 for the Derbyshire Cricket Foundation. These vital funds will enable us to continue to grow our impact through the initiatives and projects that we run across Derby and Derbyshire. Being able to promote health and well-being through cricket to those communities that need it most or have limited access is so important to us. We are committed to making cricket a game for everyone and this event plays a significant part in helping us achieve that.
This event also wouldn’t be possible without the fantastic support of our Cricket Derbyshire India Club members, and we are very grateful for everything they have done not only this year but since the inaugural event in 2014.”
Cricket Derbyshire India Club member, Baggy Shanker added:
“I am delighted with what was another well-supported and successful event. I always describe this as an exclusive yet inclusive event.
It’s amazing to see Derby’s diverse communities come together and celebrate Diwali and raise invaluable funds for the Derbyshire Cricket Foundation so they can continue with the fantastic programme of events that they deliver across the City & County.
We have all been overwhelmed by the support and generosity from our new and returning Sponsors and I would like to thank them all. It was a brilliant evening of festivities.”
Derbyshire County Cricket Club Chief Executive, Ryan Duckett, added:
“The event has got bigger and bigger each year since its inception in 2014 with record funds raised again this year to help sustain the magnificent work that the Derbyshire Cricket Foundation continues to deliver in Derby City and right across the county.
Working in partnership with the Foundation, we are always striving to celebrate the diversity within our community, and welcome new people to the Incora County Ground for cricket or non-cricket events and our annual Diwali event is one of the key dates in our annual events programme.
I would like to thank all of the individuals and local business who have supported this event yet again and we are already looking forward to our 10th annual Diwali celebrations next year! ”
The Derbyshire Cricket Foundation are always looking for further support from businesses and individuals that are interested in helping to Empower Communities and Improve Lives through cricket.
We have a range of sponsorship opportunities available to get involved in and to continue to support the important work that we are doing across Derbyshire. For more information about these opportunities, check out our website HERE or contact Mark Barber at mark.barber@dcfcricket.com.
