It is part of a national event that aims to raise awareness of and funds for ‘Chance to Shine supported by Brit Insurance’, The Cricket Foundation charity’s campaign to educate two million children through cricket by 2015.
Pupils from Northwood Primary School, Darlington will be helped on the day by England and Durham cricketers Graham Onions and Danielle Hazell, who will join the children as they take part in cricket classes, break-time batting and bowling and extra-curricular cricket competitions. Over 1,000 primary and secondary schools took part in last year’s National Cricket Day.
The charity has devised special cricket-themed lessons to give the Curriculum a cricketing twist. For example, children will learn the difference between acute and obtuse angles in Maths through a range of cricket shots, or identify the country’s cricket playing counties in Geography. The charity’s web-based resource, “CricEd”, covers citizenship, humanities, literacy and numeracy.
Brit Insurance National Cricket Day will also provide a focus for The Cricket Foundation’s 2010 public appeal, “Step up to the Crease!”. The charity is calling on schools, cricket clubs and the cricket-loving public in the area to raise small amounts for Chance to Shine through fun, cricket-themed fundraising activity. Non-uniform days, cricket teas, cake sales, match-fee donations and fancy dress cricket matches are among the suggestions for schools and clubs.
Wasim Khan, Chief Executive of The Cricket Foundation said: “Brit Insurance National Cricket Day is the perfect way for schools, clubs and cricket fans in your area to show their support for Chance to Shine and our “Step up to the Crease!” appeal. It’s a day for cricket lovers to unite for the good of cricket in this country.”
England spinner and ICC World Twenty 20 champion, Graeme Swann, took part in last year’s National Cricket Day. He said: “I’ve seen at first hand the positive effect that National Cricket Day can have on a school. The sheer enthusiasm of children taking part last year was fantastic to see and it was a joy to pass on a few tips and tricks.”
The school’s activity will be one of The Cricket Foundation’s series of flagship events taking place across the country*. The charity will join forces again with the England and Wales Cricket Board, Marylebone Cricket Club, The Lord’s Taverners and Professional Cricketers’ Association, as the whole cricket community gets behind Brit Insurance National Cricket Day.
The Cricket Foundation and MCC are teaming up for an MCC Spirit of Cricket video competition. Pupils can win tickets to MCC Spirit of Cricket Pakistan v Australia Test match at Lord’s (14 July) and places to play on the hallowed turf during the tea break, by capturing on film the ‘play hard, play fair’ message of MCC Spirit of Cricket.
Chance to Shine is one of the biggest school sport development initiative ever undertaken in Britain. This year it marked its fifth anniversary and the one millionth child to benefit from the £50million campaign.
In 2010, Chance to Shine will operate in around 4,000 state primary and secondary schools, through 422 clubs across the country, and will reach over 400,000 girls and boys. Further details on Chance to Shine, including how to get involved in Step up to the Crease! and the MCC Spirit of Cricket video competition can be found at www.chancetoshine.org