A celebration dinner to mark the 25^th anniversary of Gloucestershire’s treble-winning one-day success will be one of the centrepieces of this year’s Cheltenham Cricket Festival.

It is the idea of former captain and current head coach Mark Alleyne, and it is expected that many of the players who enjoyed starring roles in that fantastic season will be at the dinner.

It will take place in a marquee at the ground on Thursday 31^st July after the third day’s play of the county championship game against Middlesex.

Gloucestershire, who were coached by John Bracewell, won the Benson & Hedges Cup, C&G Trophy and the Sunday League back in 2000 with a team that included the likes of Jack Russell, Ian Harvey, Kim Barnett, Matt Windows, Martyn Ball, Jon Lewis and Mike Smith as well as Alleyne.

To book tickets for the dinner, visit https://www.glosgipsiescc.co.uk/tickets

The celebration dinner, which will also involve singer/songwriter Johnny Coppin, is just one of many of the off-field events that will be such a big feature of this year’s Cheltenham Festival.

Chris Coley, who has been a major figure in and around Gloucestershire cricket for many decades, is the driving force behind much of the entertainment and much of it will take place in the Boundary Hub Marquee, which will be located next to the Old Patesians marquee on the hospital side of the ground.

The traditional white-framed tents will return at this year’s Festival which kicks off on Thursday 17^th July with men’s and women’s T20 Blast games against Sussex and Coley said: “We’ll be having a party in the hub after those games.”

Other highlights at the Hub include a gin and jazz event before the women’s T20 game against Middlesex on Sunday 20^th July and a Cricket Society Day two days later, which will coincide with the start of the four-day county championship game against Lancashire.

“Stephen Chalke, who has written about 20 books on cricket, has invited along other societies from Lancashire, Cheshire, London, Birmingham and Worcester,” said Coley. “He’s also invited ex-players including Bob Barber.”

Coley said that two days later, on the Thursday, there would be a football theme with Cheltenham Town Community Trust taking over the Hub.

The day also includes a live Q&A with special guests from Cheltenham Town and a charity raffle, with proceeds supporting the Trust's community programmes. For tickets, visit https://www.tickettailor.com/events/cheltenhamtowncommunitytrust/1660668

The start of the county championship game against Middlesex on Tuesday 29^th July will also see big cricket fan and television star Richard Madley at the Hub for a day that is being called ‘Cricket, Antiques and Antics’.

Madley, an auctioneer, has made his name on the popular show Bargain Hunt and Coley, a former school teacher at Stouts Hill, near Uley, said: “I used to teach Richard Madley.

“Madders will be bringing Izzie Balmer, Charles Hanson and Rosco [Charlie Ross] with him. We want people to bring along some of their family treasures and jewellery for valuation by our experts.”

Two days later there will be another opportunity to buy and sell because there will be a cricket memorabilia market day.

The final day of the Festival on Tuesday 5^th August sees Gloucestershire play Derbyshire in a One-Day Cup game and Coley, a keen supporter of National Hunt racing, said: “We’re going to have a racing day, we’ll invite lots of trainers owners, syndicates.”

Coley, a huge supporter of all things cricket, wants this year’s Festival to be as big a success off the field as on it.

He went to his first Cheltenham Cricket Festival in 1952 and he said: “I was a young boy, I saw the Indians play. I haven’t missed the Festival since, it’s a passion of mine.”