Lord's Taverners
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| Formation | 1950 |
|---|---|
The Lord’s Taverners (registered charity no. 306054) is the official charity for recreational cricket and the UK’s leading youth cricket and disability sports charity. Its objective is to 'give young people, particularly those with special needs, a sporting chance'.
The Lord’s Taverners was founded in 1950 by a group of actors, led by Martin Boddey, who used to enjoy watching cricket from the Tavern pub at Lord's Cricket Ground.
In the early days, money raised each year was given to the National Playing Fields Association on the recommendation of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, Patron and 'Twelfth Man' of The Lord’s Taverners.
The charity helps young people of all abilities and backgrounds participate in sporting activities by investing over £3 million each year in the following areas:
Encouraging participation in youth cricket, particularly in disadvantaged areas
- Management and support of inner city and other youth cricket competitions and programmes
- Funding to re-establish cricket in state schools
- Grants towards non-turf pitches to increase the opportunities for young people to play
- Donating hundreds of cricket equipment bags to clubs and school teams across the UK
Supporting sporting and recreational activities for youngsters with special needs
- Donating specially adapted minibuses and sports wheelchairs, giving young people vital transportation and access to sport and recreation
- Creating new pathways for participation, development and competition in sport
- Providing grants for play, sports and sensory equipment
The Lord’s Taverners has raised and distributed over £30m to schools, clubs and special needs organisations in the UK in the last decade. The Lord’s Taverners benefits from the fundraising activities of The Lady Taverners, Regional Committees and its 5,000 Members, many of them drawn from the world of sport and entertainment. The list includes Mike Gatting, Alastair Cook, Chris Tarrant, Andrew Flintoff, Bill Tidy, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, Rachael Heyhoe Flint, James Haskell and Colin Salmon.
The Lord's Taverners Presidents
- Sir John Mills (1950–1951)
- John Snagge (1952)
- Martin Boddey (1953)
- Jack Hawkins (1954)
- Major A Huskisson (1955)
- Tommy Trinder (1956)
- Stephen Mitchell (1957)
- Sir John Barbirolli (1958)
- Sir Ian Jacob (1959)
- The Duke of Edinburgh (1960–1961)
- Sir Robert Menzies (1962)
- Richard Hearne (1963)
- John Snagge (1964)
- Sir Edward Lewis (1965)
- Ronnie Waldman (1966)
- Sir Harry Secombe (1967–1968)
- Lord Luke of Pavenham (1969)
- Brian Rix (1970)
- Martin Boddey (1971)
- Victor Silvester (1972)
- Jimmy Edwards (1973)
- Alf Gover (1974)
- The Prince of Wales (1975–1976)
- Eric Morecambe (1977–1979)
- Sir Harry Secombe (1980–1981)
- Ronnie Corbett (1982)
- Sir Terry Wogan (1983–1984)
- Sir David Frost (1985–1986)
- Ronnie Corbett (1987)
- Tim Rice (1988–1990)
- Leslie Crowther (1991–1992)
- HRH The Prince Edward (1993–1994)
- Colin Cowdrey (1995–1997)
- Nicholas Parsons (1998–1999)
- Tim Rice (2000)
- Robert Powell (2001–2002)
- Richard Stilgoe (2003–2004)
- Mike Gatting (2005–2007)
- Bill Tidy (2007–2009)
- Chris Tarrant (2009–2011)
- Barry Norman (2011-2012)
- Chris Cowdrey (2012–present)
In 2007 Sir Bobby Robson was to have succeeded Mike Gatting as President, although was unable to do so due to his ill-health. The charity later praised Robson posthumously with a March 2010 formal dinner in aid of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, in honour of the "The best President we never had".[1]
The Lord's Taverners Chairmen
- Martin Boddey (1950–1952)
- Michael Shepley (1953)
- Stephen Mitchell (1954)
- John Glyn-Jones (1955)
- John Snagge (1956)
- Jack Payne (1958–1959)
- Ronnie Waldman (1959)
- John Snagge (1960–1961)
- Leslie Frewin (1962)
- Roy Rich (1963–1964)
- A C L Bennett (1965–1966)
- Ronnie Waldman (1967)
- Jack Rayfield (1968–1969)
- Ian Carmichael (1970–1971)
- Mark Motho (1972–1973)
- Peter Palmer (1974–1975)
- John Josling (1976–1977)
- Chris Howland (1978–1979)
- Neil Durden-Smith (1980–1981)
- David Evans (1982–1983)
- John Bromley (1984–1985)
- Mervyn Grubb (1986–1987)
- Robin Moors (1988–1989)
- Derek Ufton (1990–1991)
- Brian Baldock (1992–1994)
- Ken Lawrence (1995–1996)
- John Bromley (1997–1999)
- Roger Smith (2000–2001)
- John Ayling (2002–2003)
- Richard Groom (2004–2006)
- Jonathan Rice (2006–2008)
- John Hooper (2008–2010)
- John Ayling (2010–2012)
- Tom Rodwell (2012–present)
The Young Lord's Taverners Presidents
- Will Carling (1991–1996)
- Mark Ramprakash (1997–2003)
- Andrew Flintoff (2004–2008)
- Alistair Cook (2008–present)
The Young Lord's Taverners Chairmen
- Tim Howland (1988–1990)
- Roberta Moore (1991–1994)
- Martyn Smith (1994–1996)
- Johnathan Lambert (1997–1999)
- Patrick Smith and Jane White (2000)
- Patrick Smith (2001–2003)
- Robin James and Neil Hunt (2003–2006)
- Peter Mayo and Simon Cleobury (2006–2008)
- Huw Learner and Simon Cleobury (2008–2009)
- Simon Cleobury (2009–present)
The Lady Taverners
The Lady Taverners is the ladies' branch of the club. It was established to maintain the tradition of granting honorary membership to the sitting Prime Minister; Margaret Thatcher had been elected premier in 1979 and the Lady Taverners were duly formed, with Baroness Thatcher as its first honorary member.
The Lady Taverners Presidents
- Joan Morecambe (1987-1992)
- Judith Chalmers (1992-2001)
- Rachael Heyhoe Flint (2001–2011)
- Angela Rippon (2011–present)
The Lady Taverners Chairmen
- Anne Subba Row (1985–1986)
- Diana Thomas (1987–1988)
- Maria Moult (1989–1990)
- Wendy Caller (1991–1992)
- Laura Collins (1993–1994)
- Lesley Balls (1995–1996)
- Chrissie Colbeck (acting) (1997–1998)
- Jean Ratcliff (1998–2000)
- Judy Haggas (2000–2002)
- Dulcie Quinnell (2003–2004)
- Annie Peacock (2004–2005)
- Maggie Smith (2006–2008)
- Denise Horne (2008–2010)
- Sally Surridge (2010–2012)
- Marilyn Fry (2012–present)
References
- ↑ "Tribute To "The Best President We Never Had"". 30 March 2010. Archived from the original on 29 March 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2011.