Surrey aid comes to fruition

Paul Sheldon

Surrey's long term investments in the tsunami-devastated region of Sri Lanka, has seen the opening of two of their charitable projects, the Surrey Cricket Village and the Seenigama Oval.

Paul Sheldon, chief executive for Surrey, visited the two projects to officially open the homes and facilities that will bring much needed help to local villagers in the area.

In the village of Maggona, an hour south of Colombo, the Surrey Cricket Village dominates an area previously used for agricultural purposes.

The village is a joint development between Surrey County Cricket Club and the Sri Lanka Cricket Board, and comprises 45 new houses for many families whose homes were devastated by the tsunami.

Next door to the housing development is a substantial cricket ground which, with the Galle stadium currently under construction, is the only turf wicket around for several hundred miles.

The village was officially opened on Saturday by the Sri Lanka Minister for Sports and Recreation, Gamini Lokuge, and Sheldon, who commented on the day to Surrey CCC:

“Living in London, we are often sheltered from some of the hardships that many people in the world are forced to face. At the Brit Oval, when we heard about the tsunami and how it had devastated the great cricket nation of Sri Lanka, we were moved to help.

"Two years later, with help from our club sponsor Brit Insurance, this wonderful village and cricket ground are the result of much hard work that Surrey County Cricket Club are proud to have been involved in.”

Just a few days earlier, further down the coast, Sheldon was on hand to unveil the second project that Surrey County Cricket Club have generously supported, the Seenigama Oval at the Foundation of Goodness.

As well as the new cricket ground, Surrey’s support has also allowed the construction of a much needed, brand new sports hall for the local community.

The Seenigama Oval was opened with much fanfare on February 8 with a grand ceremony followed by an exhibition Twenty20 match featuring Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Aravinda de Silva and many other past and present Sri Lanka players.