The tragic news from Nottingham last week has touched the hearts of the nation. But I would particularly like to mention that Eastcote Cricket Club has a very special and enduring connection with this East Midlands city.
Many, but certainly not all of the current membership, will know that I had the honour and pleasure of taking our junior teams to Trent Bridge on tours for 10 consecutive years. We played five games in the area each time at some lovely and hospitable clubs such as Plumtree, Southwell as well as the outstanding Papplewick & Linby.
Many of the youngsters who went on these tours are still at our club in their mid thirties. They frequently tell me how much they enjoyed Nottingham and would still like to go back there to play.
On behalf of them and anyone at ECC who helped these tours be so successful, I would like to thank all those welcoming people, at the Nottinghamshire end, who made our experiences so much fun.
I really struggle to fully understand how the bereaved families of the victims of this horrendous episode are managing to cope with their losses. On the TV coverage it was very apparent that the good people of a great university city have been forever wounded but will pull together to ease the pain.
On behalf of myself and the Eastcote club, I send them my love and sympathy.
I hope to express this more personally the next time I have the pleasure of visiting Trent Bridge and meeting some of the locals again.
RIP Grace, Barnaby and Ian.
John Clouting
President