On Wednesday, 9th September, the Derbyshire Cricket Foundation (DCF) held its annual Grassroots Cricket Collective Awards, which celebrate the brilliant work that volunteers do across the county within cricket.
In 2026, we received over 160 individual nominations across 17 Categories.
Over 40 shortlisted nominees and guests were invited to the OurCoop County Ground for the evening celebration to enjoy a 2 course buffet and awards ceremony.
After an excellent array of food on the ‘street food buffet ’, it was on to the awards, which were presented by Charlie Storr, Cricket Development Manager- Facilities, Women & Girls.
Before each winner collected their award, a short video created by members of their club was shown, sharing messages of appreciation and celebrating their contribution. This was the fourth year we have included these videos, and they continue to be a fantastic addition to the evening. There were certainly a few emotional moments, with the videos bringing tears to the eyes of winners and DCF staff alike!
In 2026, we added 5 categories from the ECB.
Champion of Women's Cricket
Connecting Communities
Safe Hands
Teacher of the Year
Young Coach of the Year
Choosing a winner in each category was not easy, given the number and quality of nominations.
Many congratulations to everyone nominated, and especially to our winners. Everyone at The Derbyshire Cricket Foundation appreciates the efforts that volunteers provide for recreational cricket in Derbyshire.
A big thank you to our award sponsors in 2026
- Dennis & Sisis
- Derbyshire County Cricket Club
- Owzat Cricket
- Derbyshire Association for Cricket Officials
The winners of each category can be found below:
Newcomer of the Year
Stephen Green- Denby Cricket Club
Young Cricket Collective Champion
Thomas Buckley- Duffield Cricket Club
Cricket Collective Champion
Rodney Rens- Ashover Barbarians Cricket Club
SafeHands Award
Jen Wakefield- Swanwick Hall Cricket Club
Raising the Game
Alex Gill- Eckington Cricket Club
Official of the Year
Frances Corker- Spondon Cricket Club
League Legend
Mike Saunders- Derbyshire County Cricket League
Connecting Communities
Glossop Cricket Club
Grounds Management Team of the Year
Charlie Thornley- Swarkestone Cricket Club
Young Coach of the Year
Zoe Watson- Belper Amateurs Cricket Club
Coach of the Year
Adam Wainman- West Hallam Cricket Club
Lifetime Services to Coaching
Ian Hadfield- Duffield Cricket Club
Metro Bank Champion of Girls’ Cricket
Darcey Lawton- Swarkestone Cricket Club
Champion of Women's Cricket
Sara Oxspring- Melbourne Town Cricket Club
Teacher of the Year
Simon Carnwell- Ecclesbourne School
Unsung Hero
Mark Thornley- Swarkestone Cricket Club
Lifetime Achiever
Ken Fearn- Morton Colliery Cricket Club