Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and Gloucestershire Cricket Board are building strong links with the community through various initiatives.
Education Centre
School groups are invited to spend the day at the cricket club to enjoy a mix of activities including some numeracy work and a coaching session. The Education Centre was built with the financial help of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. 36 school groups visit the centre each year.
NatWest Cricket Force
Players from Gloucestershire County Cricket Club joined forces with local cricket clubs for one weekend in March as part of NatWest Cricket Force. This national initiative by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is the biggest annual volunteering event in sport.
NatWest Cricket Force is aimed at rejuvenating local cricket clubs and giving volunteers an opportunity to get involved. It is believed that 85,000 people volunteered over the 3 days at over 1500 clubs nationwide.
Challenge weeks
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club held 1 challenge week this summer, a Cricket & Poetry week, working with Teyfant, Wansdyke, Bridge Farm, hidden harm groups & Hareclive schools which begun on 27th July and included a presentation at the home game versus Glamorgan on 31st July.
The County Ground Experience Days
Children from Teyfant and Wansdyke schools were invited for a one day course at the county ground during the summer. The day included some cricket coaching and some poetry writing. Both days were extremely successful and will be repeated as part of the Cricket Classroom programme above.
Visit of Hidden Harm Group to ACCF
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club were delighted to set up partnership with Arundel Castle Cricket foundation (led by John Barclay) and give an opportunity for a hidden harm group to have coaching at one of the best Cricket Grounds in the world.
Coaching at Ashfield Young Offenders Institution, Pucklechurch.
A Coach from Gloucestershire Cricket Board coaches in the prison as part of their rehabilitation programme. Only inmates with an exemplary record are allowed to take part in coaching sessions and therefore these sessions are seen as a reward for good behaviour. In association with this they also oversee the NOCN qualification in Sport leadership where young inmates who complete a satisfactory period of work will be awarded with the qualification.
St Mathias Pupil Referral Unit
A six week block of coaching was delivered to the unit which accepts pupils that are not allowed back into mainstream education. GCCC helped the young people use the Cricket session as part of their attainment towards their ASDAN award.
