THE Dickie Bird Foundation has just reached another milestone as it prepares to mark its fifth birthday.

The latest nine grants to be awarded by The Dickie Bird Foundation now mean that more than £17,000 has been been handed out in the past 12 months – a record for he charity.

Some 43 young people have received grants in the past year from the charity that was set up by the legendary cricket umpire.

The latest recipients are:-

Sean Devey, 16, ice hockey, Oxford, £500.

Nichole Dunning, 12, gymnastics, Barnsley, £400.

Daniel Lessiter, 15, motocross, Spennymoor, £850.

Karina Wilson, 7, figure skating, Moray, £317.

Adel Wilson, 11, figure skating, Moray, £487.

Tadhg Allen, 7, football, Livingstone, £162.

Yamin Mohammd, 15, field hockey, Clapham, £220.

Najml Hoque, 17, field hockey, London, £200.

Foyzur Rahman, 17, field hockey, Tower Hamlets, £200.

“Of all the things that I achieved in my career, it is the opportunity to give something back through my Foundation that gives me my greatest pleasure,” said Dickie.

“I am delighted to announce these grants and looking forward to hearing about the progress of the recipients. I wish it was more but the Foundation is a charity run by volunteers and we raise the money ourselves through a lot of hard work. I cannot thank my team of trustees enough for their commitment.

“I can remember all too vividly from my own humble beginnings just how difficult it was to afford things like football boots and cricket boots – they were considered luxuries.

“I was lucky. I was given the chance to play cricket for Yorkshire and then become an umpire. But many of today’s generation of youngsters are, I believe, missing out on sporting opportunities because they cannot afford the costs.”

Revered across the world from Barnsley to Brisbane and Barbados to Bangalore, Harold Dennis ‘Dickie’ Bird umpired 66 Test matches, 92 one-day internationals and three World Cup finals. He retired from the game 10 years ago.

The patrons of The Dickie Bird Foundation, set up in 2004, are Sir Bobby Robson, Sir Michael Parkinson, Sir Tim Rice, Sir John Major, Sir Rodney Walker and Harry Gration.

Further details about the Foundation can be obtained by logging on at www.thedickiebirdfoundation.co.uk or by calling Les Smith on 01924 430593.