Celebrating ten years of the Manchester Professionals’ Cricket League

Today we welcome over 200 business professionals from across Greater Manchester to our tenth annual Manchester Professionals’ Cricket League (MPCL) Charity Awards Lunch, the culmination of our tenth year organising the MPCL. 

The MPCL is a cricket league and charity awards lunch that was started to promote cricket as a sport, allow business professionals to network in a friendly environment, and raise money for two charities that we are incredibly passionate about, St Ann’s Hospice and Lord’s Taverners.

Over the past ten years the event has grown massively, and today it is one of the highlights of the year. In this blog we look back at some of the best moments from the past ten years, and also some of the key benefits sporting events like this can have on your business.

Five favourite moments 

• The first year of the MPCL will always be a special one. It has now continued to grow year-on-year and we are incredibly excited to see how much money we raise in our tenth year.
  
  
• Sellick Partnership was named Cup runners-up in 2014! This had been our best performance since the league’s formation in 2008. The competition every year is so incredibly high so to get close to holding the Cup is a massive achievement for any organisation.
  
  
• Reaching a fundraising total of £80,000 was also a proud moment for the team. When we started the MPCL we had no idea it would grow so quickly and it has well surpassed our expectations.
  
  
• We have had so many inspirational speakers over the years, it is so hard to pick just one. A few of our favourites have to be Bill Beaumont in 2016 and Paul Allott.
  
  
• This year is one we will always remember, simply for it being our tenth anniversary. Ten years is a very long time and it is an amazing achievement to have a charitable event that has not only lasted, but continues to grow each year.

How the MPCL has helped over the past ten years:

• The MPCL has provided a networking opportunity for over 50 businesses across Greater Manchester. Each year, some of Manchester’s most prominent businesses take part in the MPCL, offering a platform to network, share experiences, and make new connections for everyone who gets involved. As a business, we know the benefits of events like this and the opportunities they can create, and from speaking with the companies that have taken part over the years we know that the MPCL has opened many doors.
  
  
• The MPCL has raised more than £80,000 for charity since it was founded in 2008! This is an astonishing amount that has helped both of our charities – St Ann’s Hospice and Lord’s Taverners – a great deal. For example, St Ann’s Hospice have used the money to assist with the day-to-day running of the hospice which needs to raise £20,000 every day to keep their doors open. Lord’s Taverners have used some of the money to install sensory rooms, play spaces and also buy wheelchairs and minibusses to help young people get active and into sport.
  
  
• We firmly believe that our CSR efforts, which include the MPCL, have greatly contributed to our excellent staff retention rates and the attraction of many of our current employees. People want to work for companies that care about the community and that put the needs of others high on their agenda. This is something that is of huge importance. 
  
  
• The MPCL has been great for the community in which we work. Charitable donations help better your community, and your customers and employees will notice if you are making a real effort to improve your surroundings. Your company's charitable donations could help improve schools or parks, help disadvantaged people or simply improve the areas in which you work. In our case, we help two well deserving charities continue their vital work.
  
  
• The MPCL also helps improve morale across our business and that of those who have taken part over the years. Events like the MPCL allow companies to take active interests in their own communities which often leads to a huge boost in employee morale. Employees respect companies that care for their community and employees feel good about working for their employer.

If you are interested in the MPCL and would like to discuss taking part next year please contact us by emailing mpcl@sellickpartnership.co.uk. Alternatively, you can find out about our other sporting tournaments and CSR activities here.