FORMER Taunton resident Mustafa Shaikh, who is now an employee of Cornwall Cricket Board as a school and club development officer, has set up a star-studded charity auction.

The auction, which runs until 7pm on Tuesday, December 8, will help raise money for Cornwall Cricket Trust and Plymouth Neonatal Intensive Care Unit's Keep Me Close appeal.

In December 2019, Mustafa's grandson Freddie was born extremely prematurely, at 25 weeks.

The auction is to show appreciation and say thank you to all of those at Plymouth's NICU, the Keep Me Close charity and the Cricket Trust who helped Mustafa, Freddie and their family through the early weeks.

The cricket collectables auction is now live, with items donated by international and county cricketers, including:

  • Tom Abell signed mini bat
  • Babar Azam Somerset shirt
  • Matt Bulbeck retro top
  • Jos Buttler Somerset training top/mini signed bats
  • Zak Crawley signed GN bat
  • Carl Gazzard retro shirt
  • Lewis Goldsworthy Somerset T20 shirt
  • James Hildreth signed Somerset shirt
  • Piran Holloway retro shirt/trousers
  • Signed Warwickshire Brian Lara 501* scorecard
  • Jack Leach signed Millichamp & Hall ball/mini bat/T-shirt
  • Jake Libby signed Worcestershire shirt and T20 top
  • Liam Norwell Warwickshire shirt
  • Craig Overton signed England shirt
  • Jamie Overton signed Surrey shirt
  • Peter Trego signed Somerset shirt/signed Notts shirt/signed GN gloves
  • Roelef van der Merwe signed Somerset shirt
  • Max Waller signed Somerset T20 shirt

Mustafa Shaikh said: “I wanted to show my appreciation and thanks to Plymouth Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit team, particularly the Keep Me Close charity, which provided much-needed care and support at a critical time in Freddie’s life.

"Keep Me Close provides parental accommodation for those parents of babies who are being cared for on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

"Freddie arrived 15 weeks early, so as you can imagine all the family went through a difficult period.

"I wanted to also say thank you to my team and colleagues at Cornwall Cricket for helping me through this time.

"I came up with the idea of an online auction, combining my love of family and my passion for cricket, in collaboration with Cornwall Cricket Trust and the Plymouth Hospital Charity to raise money to celebrate Freddie's first birthday on December 8, 2020.”

The auction is now live, and you can place a bid here.

Anyone who isn't a cricket fan, but would still like to support the charities, can do so by donating to Mustafa’s JustGiving page.