Go North East sponsor Durham Cricket's Visually Impaired Team

We're delighted to announce that we are continuing our front-of-shirt sponsorship for the Durham Visually Impaired (VI) Cricket Team for a fourth consecutive year.

The team is the county’s only visually impaired cricket team, made up of players with partial or total sight loss who compete at a high level and welcome players of any age or experience.

The team uses adapted equipment and modified rules to ensure the game is inclusive and competitive. The adapted equipment includes a larger ball that makes a sound when it bounces or is struck by the bat, and playing with larger stumps. Fixtures take place across the North, with players often travelling across the region to proudly represent Durham - making our support especially meaningful. 

Ben Gilligan, Managing Director at Go North East, said: “We’re excited to continue supporting Durham Cricket Foundation's VI Team this season.

“We’re committed to making our services accessible to everyone. It was great to have the team join us for at the launch event our new electric buses earlier this year. Our new EVs feature a range of accessibility upgrades, including audio-visual next-stop announcements, hearing loops and external sounders to alert pedestrians when a bus is approaching.”

Fixtures take place across the country, with players from across the region travelling to represent Durham - making the backing of Go North East, the region’s largest bus operator, especially meaningful.

We provide complimentary travel passes to VI players, helping remove one of the major barriers faced by people with visual impairments. We also fund transport to away games across the country, ensuring players can travel safely and confidently.

Graeme Weeks, CEO of Durham Cricket Foundation, said: "We’re incredibly grateful to Go North East for their continued commitment to the Foundation, the team and making cricket more accessible and inclusive.” 

The Visually Impaired team is run and supported by Durham Cricket Foundation as part of its disability cricket programme. Graeme Weeks, CEO of Durham Cricket Foundation, said: "We’re incredibly grateful to Go North East for their continued commitment to the Foundation, the team and making cricket more accessible and inclusive.” 

For more information about the Visually Impaired Cricket visit: Visually Impaired Cricket – Durham Cricket.