Somerset has become the first county cricket club to become an `Access Organisation' for the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

Earlier this year Somerset Chief Executive Peter Anderson and Cricket Development Officer Andrew Moulding were presented with the accreditation certificate by Prince Edward during a ceremony at Yeovil.

Over the last few days the club has sent out letters to all youngsters between the ages of 14 and 25 who appear on their database to invite them to take part.

Mr Moulding told me: "We have just launched the scheme and already we have a great deal of interest from the young people. People have always thought that the scheme was about absailing and mountaineering, but 75% of the activities can be achieved through cricket."

He continued: "We are very pleased with the response so far. The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme is very worthwhile and is a good thing as well for youngsters to have on their CV's."

Any young person who is interested in finding out more about the scheme should contact Andrew Moulding on 01823 352266.

Meanwhile another area where Somerset County Cricket Club also leads the field is about to get started. When former teacher Simon Lowe set up the Playing for Success Centre at the County Ground earlier this year it was the first venture of its kind in the region.

Now everything is in place and a pilot programme of after school activities involving pupils from four Taunton schools,- St Andrew's Primary, Archbishop Cranmer Primary, Ladymead and Bishop Foxes is about to get started.

Earlier this week Simon Lowe told me: "Playing for Success is a new venture and I'm looking forward to it immensely and with great anticipation. This is a real change of direction for me getting children to learn through the medium of cricket. We will be building on the good work that already goes on in local schools, and it will be very interesting to see how it all goes."

The pilot scheme gets started on June 10th and 11th between 3.30 and 7 pm and goes on at the same time for the following three weeks.

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