The Beech Academy in Mansfield, one of the Special Needs schools we visit to coach Table Cricket, had an amazing season which saw them go all the way to Lord’s, the Home of Cricket.

They won through the county and regional rounds of the Lord’s Taverners Table Cricket competition to reach the national finals at Lord’s where they proudly flew the flag for the East Midlands.

They had made the final stages once before, in 2017, but this time lifted the trophy at the end of a thrilling and memorable day.

Trust chief executive Darren Bicknell said: “It was truly magical. It was great to be there and amazing to see the joy on the children’s faces.

“I suspect they do not know how big an achievement it was, winning at the Home of Cricket. We were enormously proud of them. Well done to the team, teachers and coaches.”

The Trust has recently taken on a new part-time assistant coach, Max Everett, and in 2023 will be expanding its work with Special Needs schools in partnership with Leicestershire CCC and Lincolnshire CCC as well as Nottinghamshire CCC.