Following the recent launch of the Scottish Women’s Cricket Association (SWCA), Nuffield Health, the UK’s largest healthcare charity, has agreed to provide fitness and training facilities for the Scottish women’s cricket squad.
As Scottish women’s cricket goes from strength to strength, this partnership will allow access to Nuffield Health’s five fitness and wellbeing centres, as well as its specialist health and nutrition staff. This deal represents the first in an anticipated range of sponsorships and support that will become available to female players since the SWCA created a new focus for the sport.
Women’s Scottish Cricket Team captain, Abbi Aitken said: “The partnership with Nuffield Health will undoubtedly help improve the fitness of the squad giving players access to top quality fitness centres across the country. It’s great to see that our positive results and hard work are being recognised by companies like Nuffield, supporting women’s cricket in Scotland”
Annette Drummond of the Scottish Women’s Cricket Association said: “The SWCA welcomes the support Nuffield Health is giving to our national squad. As Scotland’s fastest growing sport, women’s cricket needs access to the .best facilities to ensure we can maintain-that track cecord of success, -This deal represents the first in a series of new opportunities we hope the SWCA will create in the future.”
Tim Hyatt, general manager at Nuffield Health Fitness & Wellbeing Centre Edinburgh, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the women’s Scottish cricket team in its pursuit and maintenance of optimum fitness and health. We have supported the men’s team over the last 18 months and we are pleased to extend this to the women’s team. We believe that obtaining the best success on and off the pitch is reliant on more than just training. Our team of experts, including physiotherapists and nutritionists aim to support the team throughout the next twelve months to ensure all-round wellbeing. We’re all excited about the partnership and look forward to continuing to build our relationship over the coming months.”
The SWCA has brought together people from sport, business and politics to increase the focus on women’s cricket in Scotland. With Liz Smith MSP as its President, the organisation will increase funding, develop new training and find opportunities to increase the opportunities for girls and women to play cricket across the country. Its work supports and builds on the valuable work of women’s cricket manager, Kari Carswell.
Nuffield Health is the largest healthcare charity in the UK, providing health services for over 50 years. It is independent of Government, has no shareholders and reinvests its surplus to improve its facilities or provide public health education. It provides access to 15,000 health experts through 30 hospitals, 65 fitness & wellbeing centres, 200 corporate facilities and 20 medical clinics to help people get healthy, and stay healthy. Nuffield Health is an award-winning not-for-profit organisation, having won Health Investor Social Enterprise of the Year in 2010 and Private Hospital Group of the Year in 2011.
Images by JLP-Photography (Top image, L to R, Kari Carswell, Anette Drummond, Samantha Haggo and Abbi Aitken)
