Lord's has turned Red for Ruth on day two of the second Ashes Test with the cricket world coming together to support the Ruth Strauss Foundation, which former England captain Sir Andrew Strauss set up to honour his late wife in 2019.
Strauss launched the foundation after his wife tragically passed away at the age of just 46 from an incurable non-smoking lung cancer. The foundation aims to support families facing the death of a parent from cancer and raises vital funds from the annual Red for Ruth campaign, which is now in its fifth year.
Fans in attendance were encouraged to wear red and the match-worn shirts of both teams, as well as a number of other sports memorabilia and experiences, will be auctioned off to help raise money for the foundation. The Red for Ruth campaign has so far raise more than £3m, which they use to fund a free Family Support Service.
Speaking to Mirror Sport ahead of the Test, Strauss said: "I do think what I went through with Ruth and seeing her courage and bravery completely changes your perspective as to what is important. I was very proud of what I achieved in an England shirt.
"That was about me and achieving my goals, but this is about something much greater than me. It breaks my heart that everyday there are hundreds of kids being put into the situation that my kids were put into and we can’t change that but we can make it a little bit easier."
Strauss also said: "This is a very special year for us as we celebrate our 5th Red for Ruth. With the incredible support of the cricket community and beyond we have been able to develop a support service for families who face the terrible ordeal of losing a loved one.
"The harsh reality is that since I set up the charity, around 185,000 children will have lost a parent. We are immensely proud and grateful for what we have been able to achieve so far - but we have a long way to go.
"The ambition is to help as many people as possible, and days like Red for Ruth at Lord’s are vital for us to keep going." ECB Chair Richard Thompson added: "The Ruth Strauss Foundation does so much to help children and families at such a traumatic time of their lives.
"Red for Ruth has become an established part of the cricketing calendar, and with a huge Ashes summer ahead, I'm looking forward to seeing fans get into the spirit at both Lord's and Trent Bridge in support of this incredible cause this year.
"For the past four years the cricket community has shown incredible generosity, and I have no doubt they will do so again this year. I'd encourage everyone to don their red and dig deep to help more families when they need it most."
Visit ruthstraussfoundation.com/redforruth for more information and to donate
