Just a few more days for the 21st annual celebration of Sri Lankan’s biggest Summer Festival in the UK, a place to enjoy watching excellent cricket, with fun, and excitement prevalent at inter-school Big Matches, combined with a very happy party atmosphere throughout the day with Live band music, UK and Sri Lankan trade stalls, International hot food stalls, Beer tent, and children’s entertainment.

In a year that the world is suffering from a severe financial meltdown, Sri Lankan entrepreneurs were brave enough to come back to contribute to the success of FOC 2009.

The Sponsors: The Bankers to the nation - Bank of Ceylon’s continuous main sponsorship has been of immense support and encouragement to the Festival of Cricket and for Sri Lankans living in the UK. The BOC team led by the Chairman, Mr. Gamini Wickramasinghe, is now all set up with mobile banking facilities and valuable prizes for the visitors to their marquee.

SriLankan Airlines, the National carrier is ready to extend its qualities of warmth, caring and friendliness to the FOC for the 21st time. Whilst co-sponsoring the event, and providing the 3 Return tickets to Sri Lanka for the 1st and 2nd prize winners of the Grand Charity raffle, and 3 Return tickets to Sri Lanka, to be auctioned at the Festival, SriLankan will also be providing a very special festival offer of Air fares to Sri Lanka at their marquee.

SM Call Dialog is proud to be co-sponsors of the FOC this year. To celebrate come to the FOC and enjoy calls to Sri Lanka for just 4p/min*

In their business marquees: Palinda Samarasinghe brings the news of a special Musical Show with the very best of Sri Lankan music, while Mike Cooke Group promotes sending money in minutes to Sri Lanka and worldwide via his offices in UK, Australia, the US and Sri Lanka. Trico International Shipping Ltd. will share its 30 years of experience in Freight Forwarding and arranging the movement of your goods, by air, sea or road, Worldwide. Sri Lanka Tourist Board will be presenting the wonders of the Island of Sri Lanka for tourism – its many variations of climate, lovely beaches, beautiful landscapes, impressive ruins, the vibrant culture and charming people.

Please visit their stalls and seek the surprises in store for you !.
The School Days: It will be a reminiscence of school days, at the 24 FOC member School Marquees of Ananda, De Mazenod, Dharmaraja, DS Senanayake, Holy Cross, Isipathana, Mahanama, Mahinda, Maris Stella, Nalanda, Rahula, Richmond, Royal, Thurstan, St. Aloysius, St. Anthony’s, St. Benedicts, St. Joseph’s, St. Peter’s, St. Sebastian’s, St. Thomas, Trinity, Wesley and Zahira colleges. St. Pauls – Milagiriya, Bishops College - Colombo and Kingswood College - Kandy are among non-member schools participating to raise funds and a membership drive this year.

Looking for long lost school mates?........... Why not drop in and have a chat ?
Charity begins at Home: Since its inception, FOC have been supporting Charities in Sri Lanka. All proceeds of the FOC are divided amongst the participating schools to purchase educational materials, equipment for their schools and to donate towards scholarship funds in Sri Lanka. Proceeds from the FOC Grand Charity raffle and other charity projects are donated to Cancer Institute of Sri Lanka and Cancer Research - UK. FOC has also extended its helping hand to promote and raise funds for other registered charities and professional groups in the UK. Association of Professional Sri Lankans (APSL) in the UK, Asset Foundation, Helasarana, Singithi Sarana, East London Buddhist Cultural Centre and DA Rajapaksha Foundation will be among the participants at the FOC 2009, who are trying to make a difference in the lives of our needy people back at home.
T

he Food Festival: Walking around the festival grounds, you will see a wide range of Multi-National food stalls. S.S. Gamage, Kamal Porage, J.M Nazeem, B. Siripala, Ravi Perera, Ajith Perera and Prince of Ceylon are among main food caterers at the festival. Agro Products would provide a range of canned food while Kanthi Hathurusinghe will provide a display of beautiful and tasty cakes. In addition, a hospitality marquee caters exclusively to those entrepreneurs who would like to entertain clients or friends on the day, whilst watching some exciting cricket and relaxing, sampling the culture and the cuisine of Sri Lanka.
 

More Prizes and Surprises: The FOC Grand Charity Raffle offers a range of valuable prizes including Return-Air Tickets to Sri Lanka. The tickets will be available at the FOC Charity Marquee, for those who would like a chance to fly to Sri Lanka for a pound. Visit FOC Media Centre to ‘Have Your Say !’ and pose for a photograph to enter into a photographic competition. Skyhigh band will provide music all day to dance your feet away! Children’s Merry-go-round, Slider, A Bouncy Castle and the Candy Floss dispenser will keep kids bouncing all day long !!!

The Festival of Cricket committee 2009, warmly welcome one and all to the 21st annual Festival of Cricket on  Sunday, 12th July, 2009 at the Winchmore Hill Cricket Club Grounds, London N21 3ER. The day’s events commence at 9 am and will end at about 8 pm. For latest updated details, please visit, http://www.festivalofcricket.org