Warwickshire Cricket and the Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham (KE Foundation) are delighted to announce a new partnership to provide cricket to girls and boys in junior schools across the City.
The aim of the partnership is for these organisations to work together and provide cricket sessions to children in areas where there are fewer opportunities to play sport. The ambition is to enable local children to enjoy all the benefits sport can provide for their physical and mental wellbeing.
As part of this new programme, the KE Foundation schools are making their indoor and outdoor facilities available to local junior schools. The Warwickshire Cricket Board is providing the expert coaches to lead cricket sessions for the junior school participants. Several of those coaches come from the junior schools with which they are working.
The programme started in April and, despite the poor weather, pupils from 15 junior schools enjoyed a weekly session on the wide open spaces of five KE secondary schools. A total of 600 children participated.
The secondary and junior schools involved in the project were:
At KE Aston
Mansfield Green E-ACT Primary Academy
Yew Tree Community School
At KE Handsworth School for Girls
Anglesey Primary School
KE Handsworth GS
Grove Primary School
Cherry Orchard Primary School
At KE Camp Hill Boys and KE Camp Hill Girls
Colmore Junior School
Wheelers Lane Primary School
Woodthorpe Junior and Infant School
At KE Five Ways
St Michael’s CE Primary, Bartley Green
Kitwell Primary School
At King Edward’s School and King Edward’s High School for Girls
St Peter’s CofE Primary School, Harborne,
St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School,
Stuart Cain, the Chief Executive of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, said:
‘Finding new ways of getting youngsters from all walks of life in to cricket is crucial not only for the game but also the youngsters’ physical and mental wellbeing. We’ve recently launched the country’s first Ramadan Cricket tournament at Edgbaston for young Muslims and the Afro-Caribbean Engagement project. The link with the KE Foundation will take this to new levels, giving youngsters access to some of the best cricketing facilities in the region and again demonstrates how the Foundation is bringing real benefit to the community outside of its traditional reputation for outstanding education. I look forward to watching the partnership with Warwickshire Cricket Board grow and think it could soon become one of the most effective cricket programmes in Birmingham.’
Jodh Dhesi said:
‘As the new CEO of the KE Foundation and a keen cricket-lover, I am delighted that the KE Foundation can do its bit for cricket in the city, especially in some of the most disadvantaged areas. In recent years, the KE Foundation has extended its family of schools to 12 but our stated aim is to make Birmingham the best place to be educated in this country. So, to provide cricket for younger pupils from schools close to our own schools seems the perfect thing to do. Everyone benefits and, after all, the Foundation has had very close links with Warwickshire CCC for over a century.’
Ateeq Javid, the former Warwickshire cricketer, who was born and brought up in Aston, has been an integral part of the coaching team. He said:
“I am a big believer in giving back to the community where I started so that I can help the next generation develop their cricketing skills. It has been really amazing to see so much passion and energy from the boys and girls and I have thoroughly enjoyed helping with this project as it starts out.”
Ed McCabe, the General Manager of the Warwickshire Cricket Board, said:
“This collaborative project has got off to a great start and has huge potential to help grow cricket in the city. The support within the KE Foundation schools, the enthusiasm of the coaches and the junior school teachers will enable hundreds, if not, thousands of boys and girls from across the city to enjoy cricket in the coming years. Many thanks must go to former KE Edgbaston Chief Master, John Claughton, as this scheme is very much his brain-child and happened thanks to his energy & passion”
Matt Trevor, Deputy Head Teacher, Woodthorpe Junior and Infant School, said:
“Our recent visits to Camp Hill School for Boys’ have been the first opportunity for our children to venture out within their community since the COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020. It has been a marvellous opportunity for our Year 6 children to benefit from both the fantastic sporting facilities at Camp Hill, as well as receive first class cricket coaching from Warwickshire Cricket Board. It has been super to see the progress made by the boys and girls over recent weeks who’ve expressed a keen desire to improve their cricketing skills and have fun whilst doing so. The communication from Tom Burgess at the school, alongside John Claughton, who has been instrumental in terms of orchestrating the outreach opportunity, has been of the very highest order. We can’t thank them enough for providing our children with this enriching opportunity this year.”
Emily Ridge, the Head of Yew Tree Community School, said:
“The pupils and staff came back from their first session bursting with enthusiasm. This was a very welcome re-introduction of educational visits and sporting events. Despite the weather, they were keen to relay the skills that they learnt and have started playing cricket in the playground at lunchtime as a result. It is wonderful to see an alliance between primary and local secondary schools and has inspired pupils to develop their cricket skills and play competitively. They are looking forward to some healthy competition!”
Amy Whittall, the Head of two of the Foundation’s schools in the north of the city, said:
“King Edward VI Aston School and King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls are both delighted to be able to share our facilities with several local primary schools in support of the wider Foundation cricket initiative. It has been a pleasure to see so many young people engaging with sport and with our school communities. We are looking forward to seeing these relationships continue to develop.”
For additional information, please contact:
KE Foundation
