Yorkshire County Cricket Club would like to say a huge thank you to the Young Leaders from across Yorkshire who have helped at the Pakistan v Australia Test Match at Headingley Carnegie Cricket Ground this week.

Students from schools, colleges and school sport partnerships’ Young Leaders Academies assisted with various activities around the ground including press and media runners, ticket office and customer service assistants, sponsorship activation, events management, marketing, kwik cricket interval displays, official merchandise sales, maintenance and logistics.

Students from the following Young Leaders Academies have assisted with the Test Match:

• Craven College
• Sheffield Academy of Young Leaders in Sport
• Featherstone College
• Roundhay School, Technology and Language College
• Malton School, North Yorkshire
• King James School, North Yorkshire
• All Saints Roman Catholic School, York
• Risedale Sports Leadership Academy
• Lady Lumley’s School, Pickering, North Yorkshire

The opportunity has been created through the Yorkshire Cricket Young Leaders Academy which was launched by The Yorkshire Cricket Foundation in April 2010. The Academy provides Young Leaders (aged 14-18 years) from across Yorkshire with the opportunity to gain relevant experience working in a professional sporting environment, qualifications in cricket and sport and pathways in to volunteering opportunities.

In September 2010, The Yorkshire Cricket Young Leaders Academy will select 20 Young Leaders from the cohort that have helped during the season. These Young Leaders will then gain experience and qualifications in a range of areas over a one year period including cricket coaching qualifications and involvement with local cricket clubs. Young Leaders will be expected to volunteer 200 hours of their time to up-skill themselves and provide support to the Yorkshire cricket infrastructure.

Group 4 Security, Headingley Carnegie Cricket Ground’s new security company, will be sponsoring the programme and will provide interested Young Leaders with training in Stadium Safety and Crowd Management also.

Ben, 16, from Leeds, said: ‘I have absolutely loved working at the Test Match and it’s provided me with a good understanding for how the Stadium and Sports Clubs are run. I’ve done a variety of different roles and met some very interesting - and famous – people, but I think I would like to work with Sky or in the Media in future. I’m glad I’ve had this opportunity to learn more about my future career options.’

The Yorkshire Cricket Foundation

The Yorkshire Cricket Foundation is Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s official charity which aims to increase involvement in cricket, enhance education and develop social wellbeing of people in Yorkshire.

For more information about the Yorkshire Cricket Young Leaders Academy or the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation please visit www.yorkshireccc.com/ycf or contact Alison Giles, YCCC Community Marketing Manager, on 0113 203 3620 or email agiles@yorkshireccc.com