Bedfordshire Ltd driving and inspiring cricket Our Vision To drive and inspire cricket. About Bedfordshire Cricket Our Purpose To improve cricket in Bedfordshire by increasing the number of people who play, support, enjoy and contribute to the game. Collaboration – We are respectful and work Bedfordshire Cricket is a company limited Our Goals co-operatively across teams. by guarantee and one of 39 Boards in England and Wales whose role is to lead, inspire, Transparency – We are open, honest and transparent across all areas of the organisation. influence, support, develop and nurture the growth, quality and accessibility of cricket. Bedfordshire Innovation – We challenge the norm and think creatively to achieve success. Cricket is also the local Governing Body for the game. Inclusivity – We work inclusively across different Bedfordshire Cricket is a high-performing, not- communities to achieve success. for-profit organisation responsible for all recreational Excellence – We strive to be customer focused, cricket across the county, creating links between professional and the best with everything we do. schools, clubs, leagues and the community. Affiliated to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), our goal is to improve cricket in Bedfordshire by increasing the number of people who play, support, enjoy and contribute to the game. We oversee everything from county and district youth teams to grounds maintenance and disability cricket. We also support the training of coaches, umpires and scorers. Our Strategic Objectives Bedfordshire Cricket has more than 90 affiliated • Increase the involvement of the South Asian community across all areas of the game cricket clubs and we are committed to helping them particularly managing, leading, coaching and officiating. increase their memberships and improve their facilities. • Increase and improve the quality of grounds, pitches and facilities. Each year we coach more than 10,000 children across • Deliver a high-quality coach and officials’ education, development and support 100 schools, train around 100 new coaches and young programme and pathway. leaders and run 16 representative teams. • Provide women and girls with a player pathway and opportunity to play competitive cricket. Bedfordshire Cricket works in partnership and • Strengthen links between schools and clubs. seeks every opportunity to collaborate with other County Cricket Boards whenever and wherever possible. We also • Provide high-quality bespoke disability programmes. welcome funding, sponsorship and support to grow and • Collaborate and work in partnership with other County Boards, local authorities and develop the game. Team Beds and Luton (our County Sports Partnership). • Increase participation across all areas of the game by working with leagues and competitions. 2 3 Our Priorities Clubs Schools and Young People Helping our clubs grow and thrive Making cricket the sport of choice In order to meet the needs of our affiliated clubs, Bedfordshire Cricket offers help, support, advice and guidance across a wide range of areas including leagues, On average Bedfordshire Cricket Bedfordshire Cricket runs a competitions, developing junior cricket, improving facilities and securing funding. coaches more than 10,000 children a year number of competitions for primary in around 100 schools – including work in schools and facilitates the local rounds of We also help clubs achieve and retain Clubmark accreditation with over 30 clubs having colleges, secondary, primary and special national secondary school competitions made the grade or working towards it. schools. like the annual Lady Taverners indoor Bedfordshire Cricket works hard to help clubs attract and retain volunteers, and girls tournament. At primary level we Working closely with the Chance to Shine new junior, senior and social members. run the Year 4 Mixed Continuous Cricket scheme and Team Beds and Luton (our Competition and the Year 5 and 6 Mixed County Sports Partnership), we provide and Girls Kwik Cricket Competition. This coaching and competitions throughout the typically involves more than 100 teams whole year – not just during the cricket and over 1500 children annually. season. Bedfordshire Cricket’s work Our sessions are delivered by qualified in schools includes providing cricket coaches and take place in curriculum leadership courses for students and time, during lunchtimes and as after- professional development opportunities school clubs. They typically involve for staff. working with the same school for six to 10 weeks in order to introduce children to Bedfordshire Cricket also supports cricket, improve their skills and encourage and manages youth league and cup them to join a local club. competitions with over 70 teams and 1,000 participants. This provides an We also deliver bespoke programmes opportunity to identify talent and selection based on a school’s response to our of young people into one of the nine education offer which provides a menu of county youth representative teams. different coaching options.

CHANCE TO SHINE Spreading the power of cricket 4 5 Playing the Game Performance Helping players achieve their potential

Luton won the 2015 Lord’s Taveners City Cup Competition

Community Supporting and building our communities through cricket Bedfordshire Cricket has a track record for successfully delivering a number of projects designed to assist social integration, and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour. Bedfordshire Cricket runs county representative cricket under the These include initiatives funded and supported by: banner of Bedfordshire Young Cricketers. The Bedfordshire Young Cricketers • Crimebeat to address youth crime and anti-social behaviour; programme delivers high-quality coaching and playing opportunities for the best players that are selected from clubs and schools who are motivated and aspire to improve • Equality and Human Rights Commission to support social integration; their game. We run 16 representative teams including boys’ squads from Under 10s to • Chance to Shine Street to provide youngsters from deprived areas the opportunity Under 25s and girls’ teams at Under 13 and Under 15. We also run a women’s team in to play cricket; collaboration with Hertfordshire and three veterans’ teams for over 50s and 60s. • KITS (Community Integration Through Sport) funded by the Department of Junior squads play a mixture of ECB-led competitions and friendly matches that take Communities and Local Government to address gun and gang crime in Luton; them to counties all over the country and they also play in festivals and tournaments. They receive coaching throughout the winter. • Lord’s Taverners to support social cohesion and integration. Bedfordshire’s best young players are selected for our Emerging Players Programme There is also partnership working with the local authority to deliver bespoke programmes (EPP) that operates in collaboration with Northamptonshire and Essex County Cricket in areas of demand identified through intelligence and research. Clubs across the Eastern Region. This is an elite scheme that offers our most talented youngsters individual coaching, fitness and mentoring in addition to the work they do with their age group squads. The Bedfordshire Cricket Academy (BCA) delivers Bedfordshire Cricket specialist coaching, training and skills to aspiring cricketers and offers one-to-one coaching sessions, Academy master classes and skills development sessions. 6 7 Women and Girls Disability These girls can No limits Bedfordshire Cricket aims to make cricket accessible to all within the county and offers a form of cricket to all regardless of the level of ability or disability. We feel that everyone has the right to play and learn the game of cricket in a safe and enjoyable environment. Each year we provide coaching in 5 special schools with the aim of giving pupils a taste of cricket and encouraging them to get involved. From coaching sessions in special needs schools, to table cricket, Kwik Cricket opportunities and taster sessions in partnership with Sight Concern, we provide cricket for people with a wide range of disabilities and special needs.

Bedfordshire Cricket is committed to supporting the growth of women’s and girls’ cricket at all levels of the game. We run squads at Under 13 and Under 15 with friendly fixtures versus neighbouring counties and the teams compete in adjoining Facilities county girls’ competitions. More and improved places to play Bedfordshire Cricket works with clubs to help them develop women’s and girls’ teams. We also facilitate the local rounds of national girls’ schools competitions Bedfordshire Cricket is committed to improving including the Lady Taverners indoor competitions in the winter and the primary Kwik standards and securing more places to play cricket Cricket festivals in the summer. including indoor facilities. We are supported in developing the women’s and girls’ game by Chance to Shine Bedfordshire Cricket works closely with all England Women Coaching Ambassadors. This involves members of the England the clubs and leagues operating across the county to Women’s team visiting the county, holding coaching sessions and sharing their raise the quality and increase the quantity of cricket experience with the next generation of players. England internationals who have visited played. This includes raising the standards of facilities, include and Lydia Greenway. equipment and grounds including pavilions, practice nets, covers, sight screens, rollers and mowers – the Bedfordshire works in partnership with Hertfordshire to field a county representative list is endless. team in the ECB National T20 and one-day 50-over competition. Every opportunity is taken to work with a local authority, leisure centre provider or developer to identify and secure new grounds for clubs seeking a ‘home’ venue or CHANCE TO SHINE a suitable facility to play indoor cricket. Spreading the power of cricket 8 9 Coaches/Workforce Giving our unsung heroes the skills, support and help they need

Bedfordshire Cricket is responsible high standards of coaching are upheld. for supporting everyone involved in Club coaches are also encouraged to running the recreational game including improve their knowledge by attending our coaches, officials and groundsmen. county training sessions. Working with the Bedfordshire Scorers and umpires are vital to cricket at Association of Cricket Coaches (BACC), any level. To support and develop officials the Bedfordshire Association of Cricket in the county, Bedfordshire Cricket Officials (BACO) and the Institute of works with BACO to ensure courses are Groundsmanship, Bedfordshire available for all levels of experience from Cricket assists with training and beginners to those wishing to pursue it development opportunities. professionally. On average Bedfordshire Cricket Similarly, the important volunteers who trains more than 100 people to become ensure that grounds and are qualified coaches, coach support workers prepared, are offered regular training, and young leaders each year. We run a workshops and continual professional range of ECB courses and through the development via the Bedfordshire Contact BACC we also offer a number of annual Cricket Grounds Association and For sponsorship opportunities and general enquiries please contact Bedfordshire bespoke workshops led by elite coaches. Institute of Groundsmanship. Cricket Chief Executive Martin Darlow Coaches on our schools programmes [email protected] benefit from a mentoring scheme to aid their professional development and ensure 07760 171467

10 Bedfordshire Cricket Ltd Trinity Arts & Leisure Bromham Road @BedsCricket Bedford MK40 2QD Telephone: 01234 291823 /bedscricket Email: [email protected] www.bedscricket.co.uk