Nottinghamshire has become one of the first counties to have a fully-accredited welfare officer working at each of its clubs, after an ambitious training programme by the Nottinghamshire Cricket Board was completed.

The Cricket Board has fully subsidised the cost of becoming accredited for every club within the county, with each individual welfare officers being DBS checked, passing a ‘safe hands’ course and achieving a Safeguarding and Protecting Children qualification.

This means there are now 130 fully-trained welfare officers across the county, responsible for ensuring the environment within clubs is safe, welcoming and friendly for children and vulnerable adults.

“To make sure as many children or vulnerable adults as possible have the chance to experience this great game, it is imperative that they feel comfortable and secure when at their club,” said Josh Scully, Nottinghamshire’s Cricket Development Officer for Teams & Leagues.

“As a cricket board, we feel it is our responsibility to ensure that every club within the county – with no exceptions – provides as safe an environment as possible for the next generation of recreational and professional players, which is why we decided to fund all the relevant courses for each club.

“This provides peace of mind for parents and carers, helping to keep participation numbers high and contributing towards the ongoing health of the game.”

The welfare officer network in Nottinghamshire is headed by a County Welfare Officer, who is on hand to provide advice and support to those fulfilling the role within recreational clubs.

“The work of the County Welfare Officer is made much easier if there is a complete network of welfare officers at each club to maintain a safe environment and identify any issues as soon as they occur,” said Graham Redfern, Nottinghamshire's Cricket Development Officer for Inclusion & Diversity, and the County Welfare Officer.

“We are confident that we now have the systems in place to ensure that the welfare of young or vulnerable people will be at the heart of every decision made by every club.”

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Find more information on the work of the Nottinghamshire Cricket Board here.