A few months ago, we shared details of the launch of the Hounslow Community Cricket Partnership which aims to make cricket accessible for children in the borough - inspiring fun participation, building confidence and helping young people to get active. The founding partners Middlesex in the Community (MITC),Sky, Sport Impact and Hounslow Council are delighted to now announce a number of enhancements to the cricket offering in Hounslow.
To give a brilliant first impression of cricket, there will be an innovative pilot to take the ECB’s All Stars programme into primary schools to introduce cricket to children in Years 1-3. This programme will see Middlesex in the Community coaches will deliver weekly sessions in a number of primary schools throughout the school year, reaching as many children as possible. Linked to this and to celebrate the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, there will be an annual Year 4 cricket festival for girls at the QEII Sportsground in Brentford (Middlesex Cricket’s new dedicated home for women’s and girls’ cricket), with the first taking place on Thursday 2nd July- just a few days before the World Cup final is held at Lord’s Cricket Ground.
One thing that will feature is a new Street Cricket Club for Hounslow, offering young people a more casual opportunity to develop their cricket and life skills, for free, whilst also taking part in informal matches. The partnership will look to create free-play cricket areas in parks and playgrounds across the borough.
Delivery of this work is going to be possible thanks to Sky funding a new, dedicated female cricket coach to work with MITC to deliver School and Community programmes, boost teacher training, support existing school delivery and, in the future, set-up a youth volunteer programme.
Information about all these initiatives can be found on the new dedicated Hounslow community cricket webpage.
