Number of young people facing inequality benefitting from cricket has doubled, report finds

Lord's Taverners says it reached more than 23,000 young people in 2023

The number of disadvantaged and disabled children benefitting from cricket-related schemes more than doubled in 2023, Lord's Taverners has revealed.

The charity, which aims to help empower challenged young people through sport, says it reached more than 23,000 participants through its programmes in 2023, more than double the previous year.

In addition, its Super 1s scheme, which aims to give disabled children the chance to play regular and competitive cricket, was rolled out across every English county, as well as Scotland and Wales, a year ahead of schedule.

The scheme brought cricket to more than 13,000 children across 400 Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) schools for the first time, while two Super 1s alumni - Alfie Pyle and Ben Mason - also made their debuts for the England learning disabilities team.

The number of centres offering Super 1s or Wicketz, a programme which offers cricket to young people living in disadvantaged communities, increased by 30% too.

Overall, an impact report published by the charity found 91% of participants who took part in Lord's Taverners programmes last year felt more active, while 88% felt more confident and 92% felt more included. Female participation also increased by 42% over the course of the year.

In addition, 47 young people with a disability received a work experience opportunity through Super 1s.

In its report, the Lord’s Taverners said: "Following the introduction of our work in SEND schools at the start of the last academic year thanks to additional funding from the ECB, we reached nearly 600 SEND schools and just over 19,000 young people with a disability through cricket, which includes over 400 new schools and 13,000 participants getting access to the game through school for the first time.

"This has ensured we have more than doubled the number of participants we have reached through all our programmes this year, and provided participants with a disability a safe space to play a sport that they wouldn’t have otherwise.

"Our vision is for participants to have the opportunity learn key skills that prepare them for the working world through CV and personal statement writing workshops, mock interview days and work experience within the county where they attend Super 1s sessions.

"As well as providing an opportunity for participants to develop these key skills, this also provides a great chance for organisations providing the work experience to promote inclusion and diversity internally, which is vital in reducing the stigma around disabled people within the workplace and reducing the inequalities they experience."