The idea
Our project delivers cricket to junior girls in NW11. There is no current facility for NW11 girls to be fit & active via all-year play in a big team sport like cricket. We aim to close this physical activity gender gap for junior girls, equalise access to team sports, improve body confidence, enjoyment and mental health. Executed as 2 back-to-back 1.5hr sessions, each Fri 6pm & Sun 10am. Session plans made from ECB iCoachCricket. Capacity, each session, for 18 children indoors in spring, and 24 children outdoors in summer. With game-cards to guide families how to train on their own at home. Run by UKCC2 Qualified coaches and parents. To address sport for development objectives - low activity levels & unequal access to activity provisions. Help BarNET ZERO. Litter-pick to keep our playing fields clean. Bike, Run or Scooter travel to play. Together, as a team, make bug hotels for insects & throw seed bombs on the heath. Delivery by parents improves cohesion, inclusivity & family bonding.
What we'll deliver
- 36+ junior girls play every Sunday from Jan to Aug
- 10+ new bug hotels and wild patches on Hampstead Heath
- 30+ families travel by cycle, scooter or run.
- 10+ friendly girls cricket fixtures for all to watch
Why it's a great idea
Junior Girls have unequal access to big-team sports such as cricket in NW11. Per the Middlesex Cricket (MJCA) website, (mcacricket.org/mca-areas/mca-girls), no club offers cricket affordably. Per the Barnet Partnership for School Sport, barnetpartnershipforschoolsport.co.uk/events there are 50+ schools playing various sports, but not cricket. Per Open Barnet, circa 100k persons are of BAME ethnicity- families who follow cricket. This project offers a provision to play, where there is no evident access for these girls to play affordably. This project will upskill our delivery volunteers via Coach Development Programmes, that are supported by Middlesex Cricket. Bug hotels improve biodiversity and soil health. Girls learn not to fear insects, giving them a better understanding of their role in our ecosystem. Litter picking supports our local playing fields as clean green spaces will bring more people outdoors. Biking or running to play, as physical activity, improves mental health.
Steps to get it done
- Sign-up at least 12 girls each group for 2 groups
- Complete ECB DBS for 15 volunteers
- Confirm session dates, venues and plans
- Acquire club kit bag
Given our 2-year existing execution credibility in Junior Girls Cricket at NW, and using our current relationships with Schools, PE Staff, SGO, Coaches, Venues & Middlesex Cricket, we aim to enhance our delivery capacity with this impact focussed project. As an Affiliated Cricket Club, we are eligible to deliver cricket for children. We have demonstrable execution track-record, credibility, and access to critical resources for project delivery in Barnet.
