Chamber charity cricket match raises funds for cancer support charity

Chamber members and staff donned their cricket whites to raise £835 for Sutton Coldfield-based charity The Cancer Support Centre.

A team representing Greater Birmingham Chambers and the Royal Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce took on a Sutton Coldfield Cricket Club XI at Sutton Coldfield Cricket and Hockey Club in a charity cricket match.

The Sutton Coldfield CC team came out on top against a Chamber side featuring Royal Sutton Chamber president Naeem Arif, head of media and communications Dan Harrison, Press & PR executive Feron Jayawardene, policy advisor Kuran Singh and head of the Royal Sutton Chamber Charlie Elliott.

The match was organised by Naeem Arif, who is also a Sutton Coldfield CC member, to raise funds for The Cancer Support Centre, which is the Royal Sutton Chamber’s charity of the year.

Based in Lindridge Road, Sutton Coldfield, The Cancer Support Centre provides support to those across the West Midlands who have been affected by cancer.

Naeem Arif, said: “In our role as the Chamber of Commerce we will always strive to support the community and brand of Sutton Coldfield as a great place to do business and visit socially. 

“I am so proud of the community in Sutton Coldfield for coming together for this event which created awareness for the Cancer Support Centre. 

“The cricket club has been in existence for over 150 years and when we talked about the idea, we realised that a number of the members have been affected by cancer.”

Brian Davies, fundraising manager at The Cancer Support Centre, said: “'The Cancer Support Centre Sutton Coldfield is extremely grateful to all involved in Sunday's charity cricket match between the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce team and Sutton Coldfield Cricket Club.

“A huge thank you to Royal Sutton Coldfield Chamber president Naeem Arif in particular who was the driving force behind the event, and to chairman of Sutton Coldfield Cricket Club, Nick Baker for hosting the match. 

“We raised valuable funds on the day to help support those affected by cancer, and also raised awareness to ensure that all local people know the Centre is there, should they, a loved one or colleague ever need our services.”

Pictured: From left – Charlie Elliott, Naeem Arif, Sutton Coldfield CC chairman Nick Baker, Brian Davies and Jackie Price, centre manager at The Cancer Support Centre