News

The PCA is delivering Alcohol Awareness sessions to players across the country to create a greater understanding of how to positively develop their relationship with alcohol whilst aiding inclusivity. WATCH VIDEO

The workshops form part of the Personal Development and Welfare Programme (PDWP) run by the PCA for the players and follows on from previous key priority sessions covered in recent years such as gambling awareness, sexual consent, social media and drive safely workshops.

The sessions that are being delivered throughout 2023 were planned following detailed analysis of ongoing mental health research and referral data produced by the PCA and the players’ charity, the Professional Cricketers’ Trust.

Every men’s county squad, women’s region and England squad will receive a session from B5 Consultancy founder and former professional footballer, Fraser Franks due to Graham Gooch leading on a donation from his Scholarship and the Essex Cricket Foundation.

B5 Consultancy were successfully appointed by the PCA to deliver these sessions due to their professional and player led approach. Run by lawyer Matt Himsworth alongside Franks, the company works with businesses to create a culture which is risk averse, respectful and defensive through education, strategic advice and player care.

Former Luton Town and Newport County defender Franks has delivered 11 sessions so far, hosting the absorbing workshops through drawing on experiences from his career in professional sport.

At the age of 28, Franks was diagnosed with a heart condition and forced to retire from football. With no plan for the future, his relationship with alcohol was becoming a burden to himself and his family.

Now an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK, the 32-year-old speaks to the players about his own struggles with alcohol, how to develop a positive relationship with the substance and the benefits of sobriety.

These sessions have been made possible thanks to a generous donation of £30,000 from the Graham Gooch Scholarship alongside the Essex Cricket Foundation to the Professional Cricketers’ Trust.

The organisations requested funding to be ring-fenced for education with a portion of the donation also being spent on producing this year’s Rookie Camp, which was attended by a record 67 young professional cricketers.

With no funding partner, the Trust is extremely grateful for the donation which isn’t the first time that Graham Gooch, former President of the PCA, has donated to the Trust. Previous gambling awareness courses were also funded by the former England captain’s scholarship.

Gooch witnessed the most recent Alcohol Awareness session held at Essex’s home ground of Chelmsford and was impressed by Fraser Franks and the engagement of the Eagles’ squad.