#RedforRuth at Sherborne Boys
We have – for the last three years – designated the final week of our school term as the Ruth Strauss Foundation Cricket Week, and we are doing so again this June. Starting with Abbey House’s ‘Mums and Dads v Lads’ as the Curtain-Raiser on Sunday 14 June, the week then begins in earnest on Saturday 20th June with the block fixture against Blundell’s. On Sunday, Sherborne Prep plays Saltus Grammar from Bermuda, whilst the 1st XI takes on Sherborne Pilgrims. There is a T10 tournament for the Junior Colts on Monday before Sherborne Girls’ inaugural fixture against MCC on Tuesday. That evening also sees the Bow House XI in action against Sherborne CC. Wednesday has two senior matches against Waterkloof High School from Pretoria before the week – and, indeed, the season – ends with the 1st XI’s fixture against MCC on Thursday 25 June, a game which will also be attended by Ines Thiru, CEO of the Ruth Strauss Foundation, who will draw the prizes.
#RedForRuth and the Ruth Strauss Foundation are the brainchild of Sir Andrew Strauss, former Ashes-winning captain and ECB Director of Cricket. When his wife Ruth was diagnosed with terminal cancer, their two sons were aged just 8 and 13, and their parents wanted to ensure that they, and other families, would be able to “do death well”. The Foundation has two purposes: to fund research into non-smoking cancers and to provide support for families who lose a parent. Every year in the UK, 46,300 children are affected by the loss of a parent – that’s 127 a day, a figure which points to the sad reality that, in just about every classroom in the country, there will be a child facing bereavement. The Ruth Strauss Foundation works with these families, seeking to help them come to grips with loss and to find solace and hope despite the awful circumstances.
Sherborne’s Cricket Week is our way of helping these families (which, sadly but inevitably, include some within our own community). It is about so much more than just the games played: it is a real community affair involving a great many local businesses, who have either contributed prizes for the draw or made some substantial one-off contributions. As usual, we will also be selling souvenir brochures, alongside prints of The Upper by our very own Mr Senneck. There is a whole-school non-uniform day, and Ecco Gelato will have their travelling stall on The Upper to keep everyone cool whilst adding funds to the pot. Last year, we raised the fantastic total of £6,081, meaning that we will have been able to make a real difference to the lives of a great many young people. I’m immensely proud of that total and delighted, too, that the Foundation recognised Sherborne Boys as the school that was most creative in terms of going red and raising funds for the Ruth Strauss Foundation in 2025.
So, whether you love cricket or you don’t, please give some thought to supporting our fourth Ruth Strauss Foundation Cricket Week: we’d love to see as many of you as possible at The Upper and Carey’s so do come along, buy some draw tickets, brochures and prints, and enjoy an ice cream in the sunshine. Or, if you can’t get here, you can also make donations and buy draw tickets on our fundraising site at: Ruth Strauss Foundation - Sherborne School. Every £10 donation also gets ten entries into the draw… my challenge to the whole Sherborne community is to help us to do even better this year than last!
For more detail on the wonderful work that the Ruth Strauss Foundation does in promoting cancer research and supporting families facing bereavement, do have a look at our fundraising site here.
Match schedule:
Saturday 20 June - vs Blundells 11.30am - 7.00pm on The Upper
Sunday 21 June - vs Sherborne Pilgrims 11.30am - 7.00pm on The Upper
Wednesday 24 June - vs Waterkloof High School 11.30am - 7.00pm on The Upper
Thursday 25 June - vs Marylebone CC 11.30am - 7.00pm on The Upper
MiC Cricket, Hugh Tatham, comments, “Do, please, join us on The Upper throughout the week: the sun will be shining (we hope!), some wonderful cricket will be played, and there will even be ice cream, courtesy of our good friends at Ecco Gelato. Best of all, you can enjoy all of this with a good conscience, knowing that you are helping families in the toughest of circumstances.”
