Sakande: Why community work is important to Sussex stars

Abi Sakande / Picture by PW Sporting Photography

Some professional sports players only start to think about how they can contribute something back to their communities after they have finished their playing careers, writes Sussex Cricket's Abi Sakande.

Often this is because the pressure to individually perform seems more important than taking opportunities to help others.

However, several members of the Sussex dressing room have managed to make time to engage in these valuable activities.

The lads have been participating in events around the county aimed to broaden the appeal, widen access and increase participation in cricket.

This has been made possible through the dedicated work of the Sussex Foundation, the charitable wing of Sussex Cricket, who are responsible for delivering a vast range of charitable and community-facing initiatives around Sussex throughout the year.

Tymal Mills and Stiaan Van Zyl helped coach youngsters at the ECB’s flagship All Stars Cricket sessions aimed at six to nine-year-olds at Haywards Heath CC and Polegate CC, while Stuart Whittingham, Tom Haines, Laurie Evans and Delray Rawlins all attended this year’s DIScoverABILITY Day at Hove, the disability cricket showcase at the County Ground.