Update from our Chair

As our 75th anniversary year comes to a close, it has offered a valuable opportunity to reflect not only on the history of Lord’s Taverners, but on the diversity and vibrancy of the community that surrounds it today. Throughout the year, moments of celebration have sat alongside moments of reflection, reinforcing both the breadth of our reach and the enduring relevance of our mission.

A number of events across the anniversary year captured this particularly well. In June, Disability Cricket Day brought together the ECB, MCC and the Lord’s Taverners in a powerful and inspiring showcase of disability cricket. The day celebrated talent, inclusion and opportunity, highlighting what can be achieved when organisations collaborate around a shared belief in the power of sport to remove barriers and open doors for young people.

Elsewhere, the inaugural ‘Battle of the Podcasts’ offered a very different but equally joyful expression of the charity’s spirit. Seeing The Final Word take on Zero Ducks in a cricket match at Wormsley Cricket Ground brought together creativity, humour and friendly competition in support of our work. It was a reminder that the Lord’s Taverners continues to find new and engaging ways to connect people through a shared love of cricket, while broadening our audience and supporter base.

Another standout moment was An Afternoon with Stephen Fry, long-standing supporter and advocate of the Lord’s Taverners. Guests, friends and supporters were captivated by Sir Stephen’s reflections on the game of cricket, alongside moving tributes from several of his celebrity friends, who spoke eloquently about his generosity, intellect and humanity. The event was not only a celebration of an extraordinary national treasure, but also a powerful illustration of the role that advocates and supporters play in amplifying our cause.

Together, these moments reflect the rich tapestry of the Lord’s Taverners today: inclusive, creative, collaborative and rooted in community. They also point us towards the future. As we look ahead, it is an exciting time to be involved with the charity as we prepare to launch our new 2026–2030 strategy, which will be revealed in full by the end of February. Building on the momentum of recent years, the strategy will focus on strengthening our community-based cricket programmes, extending our reach and continuing to place young people at the heart of everything we do.

Our anniversary year has reminded us where we have come from, but more importantly, it has energised us for what lies ahead: the opportunity to be bold, to listen closely, and to continue using the power of cricket to create positive change in young people’s lives.

Lucy Pearson