Grassroots cricket participation grows to record levels across Lancashire in 2024
Lancashire Cricket Foundation, the official charity of Lancashire Cricket, has today launched its 2024 Impact Report, highlighting another annual rise in cricket participation across the county with 121,503 participants in schools, clubs, and communities engaged during the past year.
The report outlines a year of transformational work across communities throughout the North West, as the not-for-profit organisation provides county-wide governance for the recreational game and access high quality experiences that make a positive difference to the lives of the individuals and communities, to grow the appeal of the game at all levels.
This year, 82,565 primary school children took part in regular physical activity through our Chance to Shine programmes, up from 74,319 in 2023.
A total of 19,383 players benefited from the social and physical advantages of cricket by participating in regular matches through junior and senior leagues across Lancashire.
Lancashire Cricket Foundation is dedicated to making cricket accessible to all, fostering a love for the game, and supporting the communities we serve. During 2024:
- 6,256 children aged 5-11 took part in the All Stars and Dynamos programmes, an increase of 11% year on year.
- Over 1,600 children from economically deprived areas received 8 weeks of free cricket coaching, amounting to a total value of more than £64,000.
- £689,326 was invested into community cricket across Lancashire to help grassroot clubs create welcoming environments, improve facilities and tackle climate change, helping ensure a sustainable future for grassroots cricket.
- 1,290 pupils from 43 primary schools attended an Education Without Boundaries Day at Emirates Old Trafford, an initiative aimed at breaking down barriers to education and inspiring children from highly deprived backgrounds.
A highlight in the year, saw the Foundation receive a national award for its innovative cricket programme in Toxteth. The Liverpool 8 (the postcode of the area) Schools Cricket Hub was awarded the Community Cricket Award at the Chance to Shine Awards 2024, after a remarkable increase in participation. The award follows several years of work to develop the interest in cricket and offer realistic and sustainable opportunities for young people. In an area with a real passion for football, cricket is now a real sporting option for young people in and out of school.
Speaking about the 2024 Impact Report, Jen Barden, Executive Director of the Lancashire Cricket Foundation, said: “Our commitment to growing the game and supporting our communities remains stronger than ever. Through our ongoing initiatives, we will continue to inspire young cricketers, provide opportunities for all, and ensure cricket remains an integral part of Lancashire’s sporting culture.”
“We recognise the inequalities in access to cricket, particularly in urban areas, among women and girls, and within diverse communities. Our dedicated disability and female cricket officers, along with programmes like Chance to Shine Schools, Street, ACE, and Wicketz, are providing underrepresented groups with opportunities to engage in regular cricket activities.”
2024 saw the Foundation build on the successful launch of its facilities strategy, a ten-year vision for ensuring that everyone in Lancashire has access to ‘Places to Play’. The strategy is designed to initiate a step change in cricketing infrastructure in Lancashire through improvements to existing club facilities, providing greater access to schools and parks, and increasing access to safe and flexible community facilities.
Last year also marked the creation of the Foundation’s Youth Board and Inclusion Advisory Board. These groups serve as the voice of our communities, offering guidance and acting as ambassadors throughout Lancashire.
The work of its Foundation underpins the broader aims of the county, championed by the Red Rose Together campaign which launched last year to highlight the range of the Club’s and Foundation’s key activities that drive a love of the game and make cricket accessible to all.
To find out more about the Red Rose Together campaign and join Lancashire Cricket’s mission of growing the love of the game, click here.