IMPACT REPORT 2023

14 NOT TI NGHAM S H I R E COUNT Y CR I CK E T C LUB reach in COMMUNITIES Street Cricket has been a notable area of growth in the past 12 months, with this fast-paced urban format attracting 266 young people to three hubs across the county. With a new hub having been established in Aspley, and with a partnership with Nottingham Forest Community Trust helping to engage young people via sessions which include cricket and football, our presence in the city centre has expanded significantly. Indeed, our network of external partners is helping us to reach more individuals across the length and breadth of Nottinghamshire. New relationships have now been formed with groups that work with young people from socio-economically deprived backgrounds, including the Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum. Elsewhere, over 150 young people attended our threeWicketz hubs across the county, where sporting activities are combined with support for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.This programme places as great an emphasis on steering young people away from the dangers of adolescent life as it does on introducing them to cricket, and the positive impact it has had on attendees’ confidence and behaviour has been a delight to see. Meanwhile, our offering for individuals with disabilities has grown, with the addition of an extra Super 1s hub allowing us to provide 50 young people with a cricketing experience across five hubs. Table cricket competitions received entries from 18 Nottinghamshire-based Special Educational Needs schools (up from 12) – including Mansfield’s Beech Academy, who won the Lord’s Taverners national final at Lord’s. And with additional ECB funding helping us to establish the ACE (Afro Caribbean Engagement) Programme in Nottingham, engage families of refugees in our National Programmes and support our delivery ofWalking Cricket for the over 50s, we have been able to provide tailored cricket offerings for individuals from a wealth of backgrounds and of all ages. CASE STUDI ES F INDING HI S VOICE A Street Cricket participant at our Haydn Road Community Cricket Club, Chase Starbuck began his cricketing journey as a polite and enthusiastic participant, but one who appeared low on confidence. The arrival of the Street National Finals, however, signalled a step-change in Chase’s outlook, and he became a key, vocal contributor as his side reached the final – and displayed the confidence to form a budding friend- ship with special guest andTrent Rockets star Colin Munro. Chase would go on to be nominated for Chance to Shine’s Participant of theYear award – a passion for cricket firmly ignited, and precious life skills gained. CONF IDENCE V IA CR ICKET Ollie joinedWicketz as a nine-year-old who lacked the confidence to engage easily with new people. Week by week, he was able to learn cricketing skills and make new friends – both helping to bring about tangible benefits to his self-esteem. At 11, Ollie attended a three-day residential which provided an introduction to the work of a host of other sporting clubs and the Royal Navy – and remains an experience which he remembers fondly. Ollie attendedWicketz until the age of 15, using the sessions to assist him in completing his Duke of Edinburgh Award, and now volunteers at his localWicketz hub.