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CIMA welcomes Toronto Mayors Cricket team to London

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) is set to welcome the CIMA Toronto Mayor’s cricket team to London as it prepares for a one week tour as part of the Cricket Across the Pond (CAP) scholarship programme.

CAP is an annual programme organised and managed by CIMA Canada. In partnership with Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the British Consulate General in Toronto and the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, CAP uses cricket to motivate young people from Toronto’s diverse neighbourhoods and reward students for their positive work as role models in their community. The programme aims to help develop social cohesion and interaction among young people as well as using cricket as a vehicle to enhance self-esteem and increased motivation skills.

Chessington Cricket Club in Surrey will host the team during their tour, which begins on 14 July and will see them play against some of the county’s leading clubs as well as the London Mayor’s X1organised by Streetchance. . StreetChance is a partnership between the Cricket Foundation and Barclays Spaces for Sports which uses a fast-paced version of cricket to engage young people aged 8-18 and 16-24 living in inner-city areas affected by youth crime and anti-social behaviour. The Mayor’s XI team will be made up of participants from StreetChance sessions held across the capital, including White City, Newham, Waltham Forest, Haringey and Hackney.

The Toronto Mayor’s team will also enjoy a tour of the famous Oval Cricket Ground as a guest of Surrey County Cricket Club. The group will also be received by the Mayor of Kingston upon Thames, Councillor Mary Heathcoat, who will extend an official welcome to the young cricketers on 16 July as well as meeting Deputy Mayor Kit Malthouse on July 16 to share ideas on how sport can be used to build successful communities.

Gulzari Babber, President of CIMA, said: “In a year in which we are focusing on the value of global partnerships both on a professional and sporting level, it is a pleasure to be able to organise such a worthwhile event. The tour provides a fantastic opportunity for these young cricketers to showcase their talent and act as role models and ambassadors for their community. The fact that the tour is in its fifth consecutive year is a testament to CIMA’s willingness and ability to contribute to personal as well as professional development.

This year, for the first time, the team will also be playing a match against the Mayors First X1 team. This is in recognition of the shared ambitions between London, Toronto and the CAP programme which all have a part to play in engaging young people, developing communities and empowering individuals to play a positive role in society. We are of course very excited about linking up with the programme’s partners, including Barclays Spaces for Sports, the Cricket Foundation as well as the Metropolitan Police Service.“

Mayor of London Boris Johnson added: “I am delighted London is hosting this fantastic event on the eve of the 2012 Games and while the cricket season is in full flow. Sport is a great way to motivate our young people and this excellent programme brings together youngsters from Canada and the UK in celebration of a shared sporting passion.”

The RBC Royal Bank sponsors CAP, and leads a group of corporate and media partners that have been brought together by CIMA for this community initiative. “We’re so proud RBC could partner with CIMA in helping bring these young Toronto cricketers to the birthplace of the sport” said Zanita DiSalle, RBC Regional Vice President. “Cricket Across the Pond helps instill confidence, discipline and teamwork – skills that will set them up for success in life whatever they do.”

For further details about the CAP scholarship programme and its initiatives, please visit www.cimacanada.org/catp.jsp

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by CIMA UK Regional News .