Primary Club

The Primary Club, started in 1955, is a charity based in Essex, England that raises money to provide sports and recreational facilities for the visually impaired.

Membership of The Primary Club is open to anyone who has been out first ball in any form of cricket (a golden duck). Under this criterion, nearly everyone who has ever played cricket is eligible. The joining fee includes a tie which by tradition is worn on the Saturday of a Test match. Female members optionally have a brooch.

The Club, patroned by Derek Underwood MBE, currently has 10,000 members who have donated £1,778,673 to the Club. In 2004, The Primary Club made grants in excess of £180,000 to clubs and schools for the blind throughout the United Kingdom.

In 1973 the BBC's Test Match Special team, in particular the late Brian Johnston, started to talk about the Club on the radio and members were recruited from cricket-playing countries all over the world.

In 1974 the Primary Club of Australia was founded by Australian Cricket lovers. They have raised over $AU3.6 Million and donated it in the form of sporting and recreational facilities to charities which care for disabled people. The Primary Club of Australia's patron and 12th Man is Richie Benaud.

External links

* [http://www.primaryclub.org The Primary Club] - Official site
* [http://www.primaryclub.com.au The Primary Club of Australia] - Official site