www.essexcricket.org.uk/community
FROM DAN FEIST
CHIEF EXECUTIVE - ESSEX CRICKET
Our message is simple. Essex wants to Excite more people to play cricket, Engage more stakeholders to use the power of cricket for mutual benefit, and Enhance the wellbeing and lifestyle of our communities by the opportunity that cricket can bring.
In 2024 the power of community and stakeholder partnership created so many robust examples of people from every corner of our region being provided the opportunity to Fly like an Eagle, and I hope you enjoy reading more about them in this report.
The success of winning the bid to a host a professional women’s team, was merely the tip of the iceberg to a year that, once again, demonstrated that cricket is truly becoming the most inclusive team sport. This can be seen from the examples of our homeschooling sessions in Redbridge, to the Girl Guide Jamboree, the 400 female umpires being activated in the ever-growing match play structure, and the growth in schools’ competitions for girls, by 200%. The women’s game at every level is beginning to really drive forward positive discussion, ambition, and change.
With the emphasis on creating welcoming environments at every level of cricket, it has been another exciting year in improving facilities, and supporting clubs and volunteers to create that first cricket experience for newcomers, which will engage and encourage each individual in turn, to want to play their part in the development and story of the
2024 was a year where the game took its time to explore what being the most inclusive sport actually looked like and needed - and we want to thank all the participants, volunteers and stakeholders in the game who work each day at exciting, engaging and
As we move forward to the promise of 2025, we have three clear aims in our bid to
– by developing a clear game wide plan and embedding safeguarding support and
– by continuing to work with our diverse communities and partners to create
– by continuing to grow the number of women and girls’ teams, whilst increasing the access and use of facilities across the region.
Once again, all of this is only possible by each person across the region playing their part in the game’s development. For this, we thank you all and look forward to working with you, to listening to you and, together, enjoying the growth of cricket during 2025.
FROM RACHEL LEWIS
BOARD CHAIR - ESSEX CRICKET IN THE COMMUNITY
2024 was another jam-packed year for Essex Cricket in the Community! From every corner of our vast region - Thurrock in the South, Harlow in the West, Frinton in the East and Harwich in the North, cricket in all forms, has continued to grow.
I have been blown away by the explosion of women’s sport generally over the last 12 months, but I am incredibly proud that Essex secured the right to host its own Tier 1 professional team this year. The herculean effort that went into that bid did not go unnoticed. From umpires and coaches to players and support staff, no stone was left unturned - and it was justly rewarded. I had the pleasure of attending the Women and Girls celebration dinner in September and the impact of this decision was clear to see -budding female cricket athletes being inspired by local, relevant role models. It was so wonderful to be involved.
The numbers of cricketers in school clubs, particularly in state schools, has grown and hopefully with the right guidance, they will continue to percolate through to the vast number of clubs and leagues that we host. As a result, we are well on our way to
It would be remiss of me to bypass some of the challenges. The number of pitches that were under water at the start of the season made life difficult, yet communities showed fantastic resilience and perseverance to get play underway. This is yet another reminder that our sport can connect and aid social cohesion even in the toughest times.
I will close by saying the Essex Cricket in the Community team will continue to adapt to the opportunities and challenges that allow the Excite, Engage, Enhance vision to really take shape and I, for one, am super excited to be a part of the next chapter. I hope you enjoy reading this brilliant Impact Report.
WOMEN & GIRLS
SMASHING BOUNDARIES AND BREAKING GLASS CEILINGS
Following the successful bid to host the Essex Women’s professional Team, women and girls across the region can proudly stand on the shoulders of their role models. Essex Women will help the Community Team to excite, engage and enhance a new generation.
Softball Cricket
Softball cricket is the fastest growing format for women. There are now more softball cricket teams than hardball and the skill level grows year on year. Sponsorship from the Federation of Essex Women’s Institutes (FEWI) helped Essex run and develop the softball league. We have been able to provide some clubs with kit bags, and a finals event takes place at the County Ground each year. Truly, this partnership is both Jam and Jerusalem!
CASE STUDY
FEDERATION OF ESSEX WI
“In 2022 the Federation of Essex Women’s Institutes developed a Sporting Sponsorship scheme committed to supporting women and girls sport across the county. We have more than 150 WIs across Essex with 6,500 members ranging from the age of 18 to over 100, and we are delighted that many of our members took advantage of the facilities and tickets that our sponsorship of Essex Cricket has provided.
Members have joined softball teams and attended softball and professional women’s games at the County Ground - and enjoyed every minute! We hope to continue the sponsorship into future years because, when women support each other, incredible things happen!” Claire Wood, Essex WI
Girls School Competition
Our girls’ secondary school tiered competition offer aims to provide competitive cricket opportunities to girls of all abilities, including those that have never played before. It was a huge success in 2024, with more entries than in 2023 and several new schools engaged.
Both indoor and outdoor there are a variety of different competitions schools can enter; some are for state schools only and others where all schools can enter, ranging from 6-a-side pairs softball to 11-a-side hardball cricket. The Essex Community team also up skilled teachers to feel more confident running cricket games at their schools by getting them involved with umpiring and scoring.
WOMEN & GIRLS
2,000
47
500
33
98%
330 GIRL GUIDES RECEIVED ‘SMASHING BOUNDARIES’ SESSIONS
SOPHIE BARDRICK CASE STUDY
Sophie Bardrick says: “The ECB umpiring course caught my eye as I was managing my daughter’s U13 club team at the time. We sometimes struggled to get an umpire for matches, and I would have to step in. However, I felt I lacked umpiring experience and knowledge. The course was hugely informative, practical, and enjoyable and gave me the confidence to actively step up to umpire club matches and girls County training
matches. I feel much more confident now in my umpiring ability and would advise any parent or supporter of girls’ cricket to attend the course, whether to go on to umpire matches or just to learn more cricket knowledge. There is a clear pathway and friendly support network to help you go up the levels and gain qualifications. I will be encouraging my daughter to do this when she is old enough as it’s a great skill to have”.
ISSUES, SOLUTIONS AND IMPACT
YOUTH ACTIVATION ENGAGING THE NEXT GENERATION
The Youth Activation team is comprised of engagement officers and community coaches based across Essex and East London. Its aim is to engage young people with opportunities to play cricket, delivering fun and exciting cricket opportunities.
The team offers all year-round support to the delivery of the ECB All Stars and Dynamos Cricket programmes. Additionally, the team works in partnership with the national cricket charity, Chance to Shine, delivering their schools and street programmes. This includes curriculum-based play sessions, teacher training, school competitions and a community focused cricket hub. The youth team also runs the Essex County Schools Competition, offering both boys and girls an allyear-round competitive playing opportunity.
The youth team works in partnership with many organisations across Essex and East London such as ATF, Capital Kids Cricket, Centurion Cricket and Colchester United. It also runs the popular Mini Match Play festival in the summer holidays at the county ground, where hundreds of junior cricketers get the opportunity to play under T20 lights!
THE ISSUE
In low-income areas of Essex and East London, families can’t afford to pay for their children to attend youth courses at local cricket clubs. These children miss out and believe cricket is not for them.
THE SOLUTION
Essex works with Locally Trusted Organisations to deliver free sessions in schools, community centres, public parks, places of worship and in leisure centres.
THE IMPACT
In 2024 Essex set up and facilitated 44 free sessions, engaging 613 children in free All Stars or Dynamos courses. Children gained access to cricket and were given a free T Shirt, cricket bat and ball to help develop a lifelong love of the game.
Our aim for 2025 is to engage 1,000 children in low-income areas to participate in these free sessions.
206 SCHOOLS ENGAGED
4,285 SESSIONS DELIVERED
4,926 COACHING HOURS
13,808 CHILDREN PARTICIPATED
7,013 WERE GIRLS
6,909 WERE BOYS
1,306 SPECIAL NEEDS
STREET CRICKET
PROJECTS IN SOME OF THE MOST DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN EAST LONDON AND ESSEX
421
FREE SESSIONS
3
TEAMS PROGRESSED TO NATIONAL STREET CRICKET FINALS IN NOTTINGHAM
1,035 COACHING HOURS
351 UNIQUE PARTICIPANTS
CASE STUDY
CANVEY ISLAND CC
When we heard that Canvey Island CC was folding, and fearful that - without the clubchildren on Canvey might grow up without access to the game, we acted quickly to ensure that we delivered Chance to Shine in Canvey schools. With the help of neighbouring club Benfleet, we set up a free Dynamos cricket programme on Canvey which was well attended.
Some of the children from Canvey even chose to continue their cricket journey at Benfleet.
Since then, Essex has supported some keen young cricketers who would like to resurrect the Canvey CC and we are hopeful that regular cricket will be played on Canvey again before too long, and that the new set up will include a junior section.
YOUTH ACTIVATION
CASE STUDY
HOME SCHOOLING GIRLS STREET CLUB
Home schooling Girls Street Club kickstarted in November 2023. The participating girls were in the age group 10-16 years and the group size was 16 to 18.
During Essex cricket’s initial chat with Homeschooling group, it became apparent that they wanted an exclusive cricket programme delivered during their PE Curriculum session for girls who hadn’t played the sport before. Sessions were delivered throughout 2024 according to their needs by female coaches in a safe environment selected by the organisation – this attention to detail resulted in full engagement. The participants in the group represent girls from different areas of Essex. From their very first session where they appeared reserved and unsure about cricket, they became confident and enthusiastic participants, fully engaged at each session and enjoying every new challenge. They have built friendships and there is a great team spirit during every session.
STREET COACH OF THE YEAR 2024 BEN CHITIYO
Community coach Ben Chitiyo was recognised as Street Coach of the Year at the 2024 Chance to Shine Awards. Ben received the recognition for his outstanding contribution to community cricket, embodying the organisation’s mission to engage and inspire young people through the sport.
I’m seeing a lot of that around where I live - children who are very disadvantaged... that’s really my passion, to end up just changing that. We work together - we’re like one big family.
BEN CHITIYO
TALENT PATHWAY
PROVIDING A ROUTE TO THE PROFESSIONAL GAME
Developing and nurturing homegrown players remains a key philosophy that is embedded in Essex Cricket’s ethos. The Club remains proud of the number of players who have grown up in and around the region and moved on into the professional game.
Our robust network of talent scouts now works in tandem with modern analysis techniques enabling the Club to independently validate opinion.
East London Cricket Hub …a talent pathway for children in East London
The East London Cricket Hub continues to do amazing work, offering multiple programmes for all age groups of children, which feed directly into the County’s representative teams.
2024 was another incredible year for these Programmes, with record engagement and several outstanding individual and team achievements. A huge thank you to Graham Gooch and the Essex Cricket Foundation for their fantastic commitment and support to cricket in East London.
ABILITY LEVELLING THE PLAYING FIELD
The Community team works to give young people and adults with a disability the chance to engage with the game of cricket.
Super 1s
Super 1s is a programme funded by the Lord’s Taverners and run in partnership with Essex Cricket in the Community that gives young people with a disability aged 12-25 the chance to play regular, competitive cricket. It aims to establish and sustain opportunities within cricket for people who have a disability. The programme allows young people with disabilities to unlock their potential on and off the pitch. Part of the programme also offers workshops to participants, giving them the opportunity to learn new skills and to assist with their personal development.
Eight Super 1s hubs ran in 2024, offering weekly sessions in Barking & Dagenham, Chelmsford, Colchester, Harlow, Newham, Redbridge, and Southend. Essex also runs a Girls’ hub – the first in England - and this contributed a new dynamic and balance to the programme. Three competitions took place culminating in a summer festival at the London Stadium in July.
County Ability teams
Essex is flying high with three county teams playing in the ECB Disability County Championships; the Hawks, the Falcons, and the Kestrels – and there are plans for a fourth team in 2025, in partnership with Hertfordshire. The Kestrels were unbeaten during the 2024 season and finished as South-East regional winners.
Clearing the path
A clear pathway exists from Super 1s and Disability Champion clubs into the County Ability teams. This was emphasised in 2024 with four of the super 9’s players having emerged via Super 1s hubs.
3
4
CASE STUDY
FAITH TURNER
Faith has Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and was very quiet when she first attended the cricket training at the Chelmsford Super1’s hub. Faith was in a minority as the rest of the hub were mostly boys, but this never stopped her participating in any sport and she enjoyed playing football at the weekend.
The Super 1’s programme has given Faith not only the opportunity to improve her cricketing skills, but the experience has helped develop better social skills, attitude
and confidence. She is now committed to training sessions and has assumed a mentoring role within the hub.
The team of coaches will continue to support Faith and explore new opportunities for her to progress even further through the Essex Ability pathway. Community Coach, Chloe Dack, says. “ Faith always came to our Super 1’s Girls Only sessions with a smile on her face…when Faith walked through the door, I always knew it would be a good session, and she kept us on our toes!”
SEND schools programme
Essex engaged with 18 schools in 2024 via its SEND programme – 6 of those schools had their first engagement in Cricket. In February 2024 Essex hosted its annual Table Cricket Competition with 64 participants playing – and 3 schools festivals ran throughout 2024 with over 120 participants attending.
18 SCHOOLS ENGAGED
178 SESSIONS DELIVERED
449 SEND PARTICIPANTS
4 COMPETITIONS/ FESTIVALS
CRICKET NETWORK
THE HEARTBEAT OF CRICKET
Clubs and Leagues
Clubs are the lifeblood of cricket in Essex. 196 clubs are currently affiliated to Essex Cricket in the Community and offer playing and social experiences to men, women, boys, and girls.
The work of our Clubs in creating welcoming environments that support cricket’s ambition to be the most inclusive team sport, is often underestimated, and Club Cricket can’t take place without the collective work of volunteers. It needs scorers, umpires, coaches, ground maintenance staff – and Essex Cricket underpins and supports these vital areas by offering support, advice and guidance by running courses. It also collaborates with clubs seeking grant funding to improve club facilities and encourages, mentors, and supports everyone involved across the region, whether or not they pick up a bat or a ball. Volunteers make a huge impact on their cricket clubs – and Essex Cricket makes a huge impact on the volunteers.
Coach Development
Coach Education plays a vital role in the overall development of cricket within Essex, and Essex Cricket in the Community is committed to delivering a topclass experience for all candidates with the aim of inspiring the coaches that we train to pass on a love of the game to the youngsters that will last a lifetime. We run courses and coach education workshops each year, to expand and improve our coaching base.
Young Leaders in Cricket
The Young Leaders in Cricket programme is delivered by Cricket Leaders Community Interest Company, a not-for-profit social enterprise. It aims to provide young people aged 13-17 years, with leadership and life skills enabling them to volunteer within their clubs or communities.
Umpire development
In 2024 two different umpires’ courses were offered and delivered at cricket clubs across the county: Introduction to Umpiring and Intermediate Umpiring. These courses were run alongside courses to support the development of qualified umpires.
Safeguarding
The Community Team’s Safeguarding experts work hard to monitor delivery staff and affiliated clubs from a safeguarding compliance perspective. In 2024, the team offered 6 Safe Hands courses (Safe Hands is the ECB’s compliance requirement for all County Boards and Clubs) and trained 80 volunteers into Club Safeguarding Officer (CSO) roles (19 of these were women).
Get Set Weekend
An ECB initiative, the Get Set Weekend - powered by The Cricket Collective - has for many years been a pre-season focal point for clubs up and down the country, and Essex is no exception. It is a brilliant opportunity for clubs to set themselves up for a successful season ahead. In 2024, over 1,600 clubs and 33,000 people got involved across England and Wales, supporting their clubs and local communities. In Essex 74 Clubs registered, which saw volunteers paint, scrub, upgrade and generally prepare their cricket facilities for the forthcoming season.
Photo: Dura-Sport
The Cricket Collective
The Cricket Collective is an ECB initiative which celebrates and supports the army of volunteers that make
Connecting Communities Award winner Shanaz Parvin is an inspirational volunteer driving the growth of women’s and girls’ cricket in Essex.
With two jobs and a young family to raise, Shanaz Parvin has plenty on her plate. But that doesn’t stop her devoting every weekend to building the confidence, skills, and passion of young Muslim girls through the power of cricket.
Essex-based Shanaz received the Connecting Communities Award as part of the Cricket Collective Awards for her tireless commitment to encouraging women and girls from all backgrounds to take part in sport.
Each weekend, she runs Chance to Shine Street cricket sessions for girls aged 8-16 at Newham Leisure Centre. She also delivers fortnightly women’s and girls’ coaching at Ekota Academy and plays in the Ekota Academy women’s team.
EDI EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
Essex Cricket supports the game’s ambition to be the most inclusive team sport. Our action plan aims to embed equality, diversity and inclusion into all aspects of cricket. It is the rock on which we are built and underpins all of our work.
And we never forget the E.A.G.L.E.S framework which guides our philosophy
• Equity
• Accessibility for everyone
• Grounding in EDI for all
• Level playing fields
• Esteem
• Stay above the line
Dream Big
The ECB’s Dream Big programme has created over 500 women volunteering their time within cricket in East London. Under their mentorship and support thousands of children have enjoyed cricket sessions, becoming role models under their guidance. Women involved in the Dream Big programme develop new skills, including breath workshops and map-reading sessions, as well as cricket skills, helping to improve well-being and develop friendships.
ESSEX CRICKET FOUNDATION
MAKING A REAL IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY
Essex Cricket Foundation, formed in 2015, has provided over £1m across the county and region. It offers funding for the game, impacting in a positive way to the lives of individuals and communities, especially those with physical or mental health challenges. One recipient of the Foundation’s support is the Essex Walking Cricket programme.
Walking Cricket
Walking Cricket is cricket, just played at a slower pace. It’s aimed at people who are older or less physically able, but who still want to enjoy the thrill of the game. Everything is done at walking pace, including the ‘running’ between the wickets and the fielding. A soft ball and plastic bats are used so no protective equipment is necessary.
We are well on our way to becoming the number one cricket region in England.
We run hubs in Chelmsford, Colchester, and Leyton, offering weekly sessions for anyone to take part in, and we encourage the strong social aspect of cricket! All the hubs take part in an inter-hub league, and in 2024 good competitive cricket was played in the right spirit. Colchester finished as the winners of the league. Plans are underway to expand the league in 2025.
RACHEL LEWIS, CHAIR
ESSEX CRICKET IN THE COMMUNITY BOARD
Donate to The Foundation here
www.essexcricket.org.uk/community community@essexcricket.org.uk
