Hundreds of children across County Durham will once again have the chance to play, learn and make friends through cricket this summer, as Durham Cricket Foundation teams up for a third year with Karbon Homes to deliver free holiday camps with meals.
Twenty-four free All Stars and Dynamos Cricket camps will run across the county during the school holidays, with activity places funded by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Sky Sports, alongside free healthy lunches provided by Karbon.
This partnership continues to break down barriers to sport and play for children aged 5 to 11, ensuring that cost, equipment and food are no obstacle to taking part.
Building on the success of previous years, the initiative has already introduced more than 2,000 local children to cricket, many from families eligible for free school meals. This summer, the programme is expanding further, offering more camps in more communities.
The programme offers:
- All Stars Cricket for children aged 5–8: short, activity-filled sessions introducing the basics of cricket through fun, inclusive play.
- Dynamos Cricket for children aged 8–11: fast-paced games focused on teamwork, new skills and confidence building.
Typically costing £50 per child, places are fully funded this summer thanks to support from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Sky Sports. The addition of free lunches, delivered through Karbon Homes’ support, removes even more barriers, making it easier for families to take part.
Graeme Weeks, CEO at Durham Cricket Foundation, said: “We are really grateful to Karbon Homes for their continued support. Thanks to their help, we’re able to provide free lunches, which means we can better support families during the school holidays while giving children the opportunity to get involved. It’s a partnership that’s helping to remove barriers and make sure as many children as possible can take part and have fun.
“This is just one of the projects Karbon supports and we’re really proud of our long-standing partnership. Their backing over the past three years has helped us support more young people across the county and we’re excited to keep building on this work.”
Paul Moralee, Community Investment Manager at Karbon Homes, added: “We’re excited to be partnering with Durham Cricket Foundation once again to support this fantastic programme of free cricket and meals for children in our communities.
“Working with Durham Cricket Foundation and Sky Sports means we can reach a wide range of people with classes taking place at cricket clubs throughout the region. Activities like this and our wider free Holiday Squad events are a great way to keep children active during the summer holidays whilst addressing food insecurity with free healthy meals.”
All Stars participants will also receive a cricket pack including a backpack, bat, ball, and t-shirt, with Dynamos participants receiving a New Balance personalised t-shirt with name and number – the standard kit provided to every child registered on the ECB’s entry-level programmes.
Durham Cricket Foundation currently works in over a third of local primary schools, many of them in communities where more than 40% of pupils are eligible for free school meals. The summer campaign builds on this year-round reach, helping families facing rising living costs to access free, high-quality holiday activities right in their local area.
The initiative is designed to reach children who may not typically have access to summer sports clubs or paid activities.
Camps will run across local cricket clubs and schools during late July and August, led by Durham Cricket Foundation’s experienced coaching team.
Spaces are limited and families are encouraged to book early.
To find your local session and sign up, visit: https://www.durhamcricket.co.uk/free-cricket-summer-haf-programmes/