Ruth Strauss day returns to Lord's on 5 June

Lord's will turn red on Friday 5 June for the eighth annual #RedForRuth day during the Rothesay Men's Test between England and New Zealand. The tribute to ruth strauss returns on day two, with the cricket community again using the match to drive fundraising and awareness.

Since 2019, the cricket community has helped the Ruth Strauss Foundation support more than 5,000 families facing incurable cancer, train over 1,800 healthcare professionals and raise more than £4.4 million. Ines Thiru, the foundation's chief executive, said the community had helped it achieve something extraordinary.

Ines Thiru on the merger

Thiru said the merger with Maggie's would allow the foundation to scale up. She said: “By joining forces with Maggie's and bringing our people, expertise and resources together, it allows us to scale up.” She also said: “We now have an exciting opportunity to build on that impact and ensure even more families can access the support they need in the years ahead.”

The foundation said its Family Support Service helps parents prepare for difficult conversations with their children about incurable cancer. Its evaluation found that more than 83% of parents felt more prepared to have those conversations after support.

Richard Thompson on cricket's role

New research conducted with Sky viewers found that one in eight people are aware of the Ruth Strauss Foundation. Among people who discovered the foundation through cricket, more than four in five said they feel proud that cricket supports it.

ECB Chair Richard Thompson said more than 5,000 families have received support through the Ruth Strauss Foundation. He said he is proud that cricket continues to unite behind the cause, adding: “The support it provides to families dealing with incurable cancer is truly invaluable.”

Gemma, who appears in this year's appeal film, said: “Everything in your soul is saying, 'I don't want to tell them that.'” She also said: “As a parent, you want to protect your children from any harm.”

The day at Lord's keeps the tribute tied to a live Test match, where players and spectators will again wear the red associated with the campaign. For families who have already used the foundation's support, the event is the public reminder that the network around the charity is still active and still tied to the game.