Stadium becomes Covid-19 test centre

Warwickshire County Cricket Club has donated its Edgbaston Stadium to the Department of Health and Social Care to create a drive-through COVID-19 testing station, which will be used to regularly test NHS staff who are working in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands region.

Beginning operations in the coming days, the NHS staff testing centre will be positioned within Edgbaston’s main on-site car park. NHS staff will drive in through the Edgbaston Road entrance, be tested while remaining in their vehicle and exit the grounds onto Pershore Road.

Neil Snowball, chief executive of Warwickshire CCC, said: “With our county cricket programme and conference and events business closed until 29 May, our staff have been exploring various options which enable the club to keep supporting our local community during these difficult times, whether that be through making calls to our elderly members and ex players, volunteering and by offering Edgbaston Stadium for use in the wider civil contingency effort.

“Whilst it is a small part to play in the grand scheme of things, we are pleased that our stadium can be utilised to support the fantastic efforts being made by all of our NHS staff in response to the coronavirus crisis. We are also very grateful for the support that we have received in delivering this project from Patrizia and Homes England, our development partners.”

The NHS staff COVID-19 testing station will remain at Edgbaston Stadium until further notice to support the measures that have been implemented by the Government to counter the virus.

Warwickshire CCC has also outlined plans to show thanks to the NHS by providing free entry to its staff at a Birmingham Bears fixture later this summer. Details of this will be revealed as further information about the 2020 season and schedule are released.