CHARITY WALKER OLIVIA REACHES OUT TO SCOTTISH CRICKET

A former county cricketer walking the length of Britain in aid of charity has arrived in Scotland, and is keen to engage and support Scottish cricket clubs in return for overnight hospitality as she heads north.

 

Olivia Robinson, who once played for Worcestershire but now lives in Perth, Western Australia, is walking from Land's End to John O'Groats raising money for cricketing charity Chance to Shine, a partner of Cricket Scotland.

 

After visiting and staying at more than 50 clubs on her walk so far, Olivia arrived at Langholm Cricket Club on Wednesday 23 July and will continue to move north. Beyond Edinburgh, her plans are flexible, but she hopes to engage with more of the Scottish cricketing community as she nears the end of her journey.

 

Any cricket clubs interested in supporting Olivia during her journey through Scotland to John O'Groats should contact communications@cricketscotland for more information. For more information about Olivia's fundraising efforts, click here.

 

 

Speaking BBC Scotland's Stephen Jardine earlier this week, Olivia explained the motivation behind her epic expedition, and has appealed to Scottish clubs interested in hosting with her to get in touch.

 

"I've been staying at more than 50 clubs so far. I've got a roll-mat and mattress in my backpack, and I've been reaching out and asking if I can have a space on the floor of the pavilion, or the score-box, or the changing room. When I arrive at a club, usually early evening, I hope that I can help out with offering some coaching, at nets, or umpiring if there's a match on.

 

"On Wednesday I stayed at Langholm, and I have my route then sorted until Edinburgh next Tuesday (29 July), but I'm stuck for cricket clubs beyond that. I hope to plan on the go, but any support would be great. When I reach the Highlands, I know I'll have to wild-camp, as there's not many clubs up there, but I am still figuring it out!

 

 

"As well as my time I give, I am also an artist. I'm hiding a little sketch in every clubhouse that I stay at - a cricket ball with a smiley face and cricket bat, and the date I've been there. It's the same sketch that's on the whiteboard at the WACA in Western Australia, so I thought it would be perfect to leave a trail of the same sketch across the UK to tie all the clubs together.

 

"It's a personal pilgrimage for myself, to move forward into a more positive place in my mind, but I'm hoping to inspire other people to get involved with cricket, or any sport of any kind, and a community, Being part of a cricket community literally saved my life, as it gave me a reason to want to recover from anorexia, and get better.

 

"I was ill with anorexia for about ten years. I got to a very dark and serious place in my life at one point, but remembering the fun I had playing cricket and with my team made it worth getting better for me. I realised cricket was my happy place, and it was worth trying to get better to experience that again - once I did get better, I've never looked back.

 

 

"There's been highs and lows on this journey so far. I was really struggling with my feet for the first couple of weeks, and it was raining constantly. My pack is very heavy, as it represents the amount of weight I had to gain to get out of hospital in order to play sport again, so it's been quite physically demanding, but it's been beautiful to witness the scenery and experience the generosity of complete strangers and the wider cricket community."