New Cheltenham StreetChance Scheme
19 November 2013
A new scheme designed to get young people off the streets and into cricket has been launched in Cheltenham.
The Gloucestershire Cricket Board is running weekly StreetChance sessions in Whaddon and Hester’s Way to try and reach 13-18-year-olds that wouldn’t normally have access to the sport.
The project – which is free - offers youngsters the chance to play a fast-paced version of cricket called Street 20. This is a shortened version of the game that consists of 20-ball-a-side matches using a tennis ball wrapped in tape. It is part of the Cricket Foundation’s national campaign to encourage young people in inner-city areas to take up the sport.
The GCB has launched the new scheme in partnership with Cheltenham Borough Council following success with its five StreetChance projects in Bristol. One of these – the Easton project- was given a national award in July for its success in getting people to play the game and lowering anti-social behaviour. As well as providing cricket coaching from qualified coaches the scheme also educates participants on some of the social issues they might face including drugs, crime and gang culture.
GCB projects and programmes manager Chris Munden said: “The session in Bristol have been a huge success both in terms of encouraging new players to take up the game and in improving young people’s behaviour in the community. Working together with Cheltenham Borough Council we identified a real need to try and offer something similar to young people in a number of different areas of the town.
“StreetChance is a superb scheme as it offers young people to do something fun and active in a structured but relaxed environment. A lot of young people might think cricket is a bit long and boring but the beauty of these sessions is that they are fast-paced, action packed and anyone can take part even if they haven’t played before.”
The Whaddon sessions take place at the Whaddon Youth and Community Centre from 7pm-8.30pm every Thursday night. They are currently tied in with the local youth club but the idea is that StreetChance will eventually move to its own designated evening.
GCB community coach Jamie Mitchell who is running the project said: “We are currently getting about 20 lads joining in but as it is a youth club setting they tend to come and go as they please. This makes it hard to provide any kind of structured game but having that amount of young people playing already is promising. I hope to get a cricket specific night up and running in a couple of weeks.”
The Hester’s Way project takes place from 6.30pm-8pm on Tuesday’s at the YMCA Sports and Community Centre. The first couple of sessions have seen a good turnout but there are plenty of spaces for new players.
In addition to the evening sessions Jamie has also been visiting a number of different schools to provide taster sessions for the pupils.
If you are interested in joining the sessions simply turn up and play at the times shown above.
