Edgbaston club accredited as Living Wage employer

Claire Daniel said Warwickshire County Cricket Club wanted to attract local talent to work at Edgbaston

A cricket club has been accredited as a "Living Wage" employer

Warwickshire County Cricket Club said it is the first cricket club in the UK to receive the accreditation.

The club said it wanted to support its workers amid the cost of living crisis and will mean all directly employed staff and contractors receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.90.

Staff at the club's Edgbaston ground in Birmingham said being paid a living wage makes a "big difference".

As a result of the accreditation, awarded by the Living Wage Foundation, more than 180 regular staff who work at Edgbaston for the club, or for partners G4S and Compass, have moved to the living wage rate.

180 staff who work at Edgbaston, or for partners, have moved onto the new pay rate

Stuart Cain, club chief executive, said: "We don't function without our people, so we're trying to do what we can to support them through the cost of living crisis.

"It's the least they deserve for their effort and dedication."

The legal minimum wage for workers over the age of 23 set by the government, and officially known as the National Living Wage, is £9.50 an hour. But the "Real Living Wage" set by the Living Wage Foundation is based on what it calculates people need to live on and is recalculated every autumn.

Awa Touray said being paid more will relieve some stress

Awa Touray, a waitress at Edgbaston, said: "It feels good to be paid a real living wage because there is a common misconception that us young people spend our money on partying and going out but in reality some of us have responsibilities and look after family at home.

"It will make a big difference to be paid more because it will relieve a lot of stress."

Claire Daniel, operations director at the club, added: "We want to attract local talent from the local community and find work within Birmingham.

"We think it is important as part of a business within the city that we give people the opportunity to work within this great venue."