The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is known as the world's most famous cricket club. Founded in 1787, MCC owns the famous Lords cricket complex in the UK and is widely regarded as the ‘home of cricket’.

In mid-2005, the Foundation of Goodness (FoG) was honoured to be the first recipient of the MCC tsunami relief grant of GBP £150,000 which paved the way to address the numerous concerns of the villagers.

The relationship grew when MCC Secretary and Chief Executive, Roger Knight, and his wife visited Seenigama. They were extremely impressed with the amount of progress made towards creating a rural community model and looked for ways to offer more support.

In March 2006 MCC agreed to fund the MCC Centre of Excellence - a first-class learning institution for village youth.

In June 2007 local MCC trustees Vijaya Malalasekera, Ajith Dias, Mano Ponniah, and honorary MCC member and former Sri Lankan cricketer Sidath Wettimuny, joined Sri Lankan cricket team captain Mahela Jayawardena for the ‘soft opening’ of the Centre, paving the way for thousands of disadvantaged rural youth to change their lives through education and empowerment.

The Foundation for Goodness is proud to be associated with such a prestigious organisation and sports ground, and thanks Sri Lankan cricket great Muttiah Muralidaran for facilitating this relationship.

View image from the ‘soft opening’ of the Centre of Excellence,  please click here.
To view an article on Roger Knight's visit, please click here.
To view a story on Roger Knight's travels in Sri Lanka on the Lord's website, please click here.
To read a report by Tom Seabrook please click here.


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