Cricket has the power to transform lives; this is the steadfast belief of Chance to Shine, an independent charity which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year
Now reaching more than 600,000 young people in the UK annually, Chance to Shine harnesses the power of cricket, offering free-to-access sessions to those with the fewest opportunities. With 52 per cent of young people shown to miss out on the recommended level of daily exercise*, and this rate increasing among under-served communities, Chance to Shine’s mission of broadening access to fun and inclusive physical activity has never been more important.
Through two core programmes, Schools and Street, Chance to Shine’s coaches teach physical and life skills, and promote leadership, teamwork and community. In schools, sessions introduce cricket and empower teachers to deliver their own sessions – ensuring the sustainability of delivery after the initial programme. ‘Street’ clubs provide free weekly cricket coaching where traditional options are inaccessible, in spaces such as sports halls and places of worship. Regional and national competitions throughout the year offer young people the chance to put their new skills to the test.
This month, the true influence of these programmes is outlined in Chance to Shine’s annual Impact Report. Showcasing the wide-reaching scale and powerful impact of the charity’s bespoke sessions, the report also sets out how Chance to Shine reaches those facing the greatest inequalities, and explores the reasons that make sport, particularly cricket, a valuable social instrument.
Lacey’s Story
Lacey, a bright 11-year-old (above), has attended almost every session at her local Street club in west Birmingham since her enrolment in 2023. Lacey’s cricketing journey began at primary school, where over half of pupils were in receipt of free school meals. Following initial enjoyment of the programme, Lacey was signposted to her local Street club, within walking distance, and continued to grow in confidence there. Two years later, she has fallen in love with the game, represented her club at Chance to Shine’s National Street Cricket Finals, and made a new best friend. Lacey’s mum credited the free-to-access, inclusive Chance to Shine sessions with her daughter’s continued pursuance of sport, noting that, “Cricket is the only sport she has carried on with.” She also highlighted, “It being free, that’s what’s helped me get (her) here,” showing the importance of reducing cost barriers.
BIG NUMBERS
The scale of the charity’s work is unrivalled in the world of cricket. During the 2023/2024 academic year, 626,863 young people took part in programmes, including in 4,278 state primary schools, and 274 Street clubs across the UK. Half of the children who received these free sessions were girls.
Through thorough surveys taken before and after programmes are run, the charity also works to assess the impact and effectiveness of their delivery. During the 2023/2024 academic year, 94 per cent of teachers surveyed agreed that Chance to Shine had improved their pupils’ self-belief and teamwork, while 92 per cent believed their pupils’ resilience had increased. Teachers themselves also felt more confident, with those feeling ready to deliver sessions without an external coach present increasing from 45 to 93 per cent with Chance to Shine’s support, showing the success of the charity’s plans for long-term sustainability.
In Street cricket, where there is a strong focus on community and social impact, the fact that 93 per cent of young people agreed that they felt more confident in meeting new people or doing new things speaks to the positive atmosphere created by coaches, where young people can play without fear of making mistakes. 96 per cent of Street cricketers also said that they feel like they belong at their Street club, while 98 per cent of parents agreed that the environment created at Street clubs was a positive one where their child could thrive.
This impact is, on the whole, realised most by those who face barriers to being active, according to the report. Of the primary schools reached, 1,893 had a higher-than-average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, a measure that Chance to Shine utilises as a proxy for economic deprivation, and carefully considers when planning the location of its programmes. Similarly, 91 per cent of Street clubs were located in the most deprived areas of England and Wales, showing the charity’s commitment to reaching under-served communities.
The report clearly shows the power of cricket to inspire young people and transform life prospects. Chance to Shine concludes several reasons for this: cricket unites communities, shares positive values, is a growth sport for girls, is both an individual and team sport, and promotes core physical and life skills.
Additionally, Chance to Shine highlights that enjoyment of physical activity is key in forming healthy and positive long-term habits and attitudes towards sport. With that in mind, the report shows that 9 out of 10 school children surveyed said that they had fun in their Chance to Shine sessions. This is bound to have ongoing benefits to health and wellbeing more broadly. In October 2024, Sport England released a report estimating that sport and physical activity generated over £107 billion in social value (2022/23). This included £96.7bn in wellbeing value and an additional £10.5bn in relieved pressures on the health and social care system. The benefits are, however, unevenly spread due to inequalities in participation.
Reaching under-served communities is a key theme that is woven throughout Chance to Shine’s work, which, over the past 20 years, has had a vast and tangible impact. Young people who have taken part have built confidence, gone on to become coaches themselves, and even represented their country. The charity reached a cumulative number of 7 million young people in 2024, and with ambitions to reach 1 million young people annually by 2028, is committed to its belief that all young people should be able to play, learn and develop through cricket. To find out more, and to read the full Impact Report, click here.
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