Hampshire Cricket Board Honoured with Delivery Partner of the Year at Chance to Shine Awards

Award Recognises HCB’s Outstanding Contribution to Grassroots Cricket and Impact in Schools and Communities across Hampshire

For the first time, Hampshire Cricket Board (HCB) has been honoured with the Delivery Partner of the Year award at the Chance to Shine Awards, hosted at Lord’s Cricket Ground. This prestigious recognition highlights HCB’s dedication to advancing grassroots cricket and was presented as part of Chance to Shine’s annual celebration of cricket across the country.

Chance to Shine is a national charity committed to providing all children the opportunity to play cricket. They recognised HCB’s impressive contributions over the past year in schools and urban areas such as Portsmouth and Basingstoke.

During the 2023-24 academic year, HCB delivered Chance to Shine programmes to more than 17,000 primary school students across 138 schools. Additionally, they engaged over 1,600 girls in secondary schools and trained more than 270 teachers, with the goal of making cricket a sustainable part of the school curriculum across Hampshire.

Alongside their school-based initiatives, HCB also run six Chance to Shine Street clubs, which operate outside of school hours in some of the county’s most disadvantaged areas. Street cricket is designed to be an accessible, fast, and enjoyable format that requires no expensive equipment and can be played in virtually any location. Facilitating connections between school programmes and community cricket is a key aim of HCB to ensure that everyone, regardless of background, has the chance to engage in the sport.

This success of the last year is due in large part to the dedication and expertise of HCB’s community and casual coaches throughout the county. Their passion for the game and commitment to inclusivity have been pivotal in HCB’s achievements and continues to inspire a new generation to embrace cricket.

“We are honoured to have received Delivery Partner of the Year at the Chance to Shine Awards, a recognition that fills us with immense pride. This achievement reflects the dedication and hard work of our entire team, who have committed themselves over the years to creating a cricketing pathway for children both in schools and the wider community. We look forward to expanding our reach even further in 2025, bringing the joy and benefits of cricket to more young people than ever, and building on this success for years to come.”

Emily Munro, Cricket Operations Manager

“We’re delighted to receive the award. Delivery of the Chance to Shine programme has been one of our top priorities over the last few years, so we’re really pleased the hard work and dedication of all involved has been recognised. Our 2024-25 programme is already underway and we look forward to another successful year, reaching more schools and communities that have fewer opportunities to play and benefit from cricket.”

Ben Thompson, Cricket Development Director

The Chance to Shine Annual Awards, sponsored by Compare the Market, celebrates schools, projects and individuals from across the charity’s programmes who help to inspire children and provide a cricketing opportunity for all. Chance to Shine want all young people to have the opportunity to play, learn and develop through cricket. They want them to learn a love of the game and to find a sense of belonging through the sport; developing their wider wellbeing and life skills to help fulfil their potential.

For information on how to get involved in our Chance to Shine Schools programme in Hampshire please contact Ben.Saunders@utilitabowl.com. For all Street enquires please contact  Sam.Moss@utilitabowl.com.

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