‘We Belong’ is a commitment - a promise - that together we will champion the cause of inclusivity and fight for equal access to cricket. This campaign will support extension of our girls-only Wicketz hubs as a cricket programme for young people aged 8-19, living in disadvantaged communities.
Categories
Beneficiaries
Situation
In the UK, 2 million fewer women & girls play sport than men & boys (This Girl Can, 2022). There are 1 million teenage girls who consider themselves sporty but are disengaged from sport; a cohort which is 70% higher than boys (Women in Sport, 2023). With fewer opportunities at community level for girls to play cricket than boys, there is unequal access to the benefits of playing the game. The proportion of female participants across our Wicketz programmes is currently around 25%.
Solution
Wicketz uses cricket as a powerful catalyst to give young people aged 8-19 who face a lack of equitable opportunities the chance to realise their potential; both on and off the pitch; by embedding community ‘hubs’ into disadvantaged areas, through free, year-round cricket sessions. Within the last year, we have delivered more than 2,700 weekly sessions to 2,100 young people across 74 hubs throughout the UK. We have ambitious plans to empower young women and girls through cricket.
