October 27th 2011 

England's Cricketers visited Future Hope

It was a day to remember for Future Hope, and the England cricket team

The cricketers were keeping a promise made before the T20 World Cup when their planned trip to Eden Gardens was cancelled. As armed police and soldiers stood guard the players saw the classrooms, visited the chess club and computer room. On the roof of the building they saw girls from the hockey team practicing. As ECB chief executive David Collier - a qualified hockey umpire - remarked: 'If anyone ever complains about lack of facilities to me I'll tell them about this place. It's remarkable.'  Jonathan Bairstow, obviously a hockey player,  was left nursing a bruised finger after a clash of sticks.
In the dusty play area England players got involved in frenetic five-a-side football matches and Steve Finn celebrated a rare goal in Premier League style pulling his England shirt over his head to the delight of the children.

After putting in a stint in the chess room Kevin Pietersen headed for the cricket net.  Playing with only his right hand as his left thumb was broken he soon became the one the boys wanted to bag. When his stumps were hit he grinned as he shouted  'No ball'

The players then went in to hear a talk from Tim Grandage detailing the history of Future Hope. The players and coach Andy Flower listened intently.  At the end T20 captain Graham Swann stood to tell him: 'We've had a pretty torrid time on the cricket field over the past three weeks and we needed a reality check, you've certainly given that to us today. Thank you.'

The players then went in to the jammed assembly hall to watch the children put on a small show before finishing with a communal singalong with that Rowland Road favourite The Tiny Ant.

Swann thanked the children adding: 'You're better singers than us, we only sing our team song when we've won' Cue much laughter from the cricket mad kids who had enjoyed India's 5-0 ODI series victory although two days after their visit England beat India at Eden Gardens in a T20 match.

Outside Ian Bell said: ' We don't get out and about much on these tours but this was fantastic, just fantastic.'

That evening Pietersen was guest of honour at a function where he told the audience:' We've just been to a charity this afternoon called Future Hope....taking children off the streets and educating them. Fascinating...some incredible stories of street children picked up from the stations in Calcutta. One of them is now working in a bank in London.'