As 2012 draws to an end and our thoughts all turn to the Christmas break it is as good a time as ever to reflect on what CWB has been able to achieve since our last newsletter in August.

As you all know we are a small volunteer run charity motivated by a simple desire to use and develop a game we love in a part of the world that is devastated by HIV/AIDS. For us it is about putting as many smiles on the faces of as many children as we can and giving them all simple AIDS awareness messages at the same time.

We know this approach works as we have now coached over 40,000 children and trained over 2,000 adults to become ICC cricket coaches and remain on track for reaching our goal of changing 250,000 lives by 2020 through cricket. For the first time this autumn we visited 5 counties, including Cameroon for the first time. Thanks to the Times article written by CWB Volunteer, Luke Sellers, and the Warrior's film about the Massai and Mike Atherton's piece in the Times about them many others now know about the work we are doing in Africa.

Our recent Autumn trip was not only featured by the ICC 360 TV programme http://www.icc-cricket.com/media_interactive_zone/broadcast_video.php?mediaId=3418 but there will also be a 30 minute radio documentary by Phil Mackie of BBC Radio 5 on Xmas day at 21.30. Phil's programme will be a great break between Home Alone 2 and the 3rd Indiana Jones film. Please do listen if you have the time.

There is one moment though from the year that stands out and that is giving orphaned girls in Dol Dol in Kenya a fun filled and action packed day. Many of these girls had been married, raped and given AIDS before they had turned 10. Their smiles, friendliness and quiet humanity will stay with all of us who met them that day. What better example of why we do it.

Have a great Xmas break and thank you once again for your continued support for 2013.

The CWB Trustees