Leg Before Wicket
Increasing physical activity in diverse communities
During the project ‘Leg Before Wicket’, cricket was used as the key catalyst, helping encourage young people to become more active and engaged with their community.
The project sought to address the lack of physical activities for young people during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a serious effect on their physical and mental wellbeing.
The medium of cricket has always been popular with the Muslim communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, India & Sri Lanka, but due to the pandemic and restrictions, young people had not been able to play and with no after school clubs, lost passion for physical activity.
Working with diverse communities in Chelmsford from the Muslim, Sikh and Hindu diaspora, Essex Cultural Diversity Project (ECDP) set up a Summer Cricket Club which was open to young people.
ECDP were keen to support initiatives to get young people from diverse backgrounds to build their self-esteem, confidence and physical fitness through the sports and hobbies they enjoyed.
The Cricket Summer Holiday Camp was supported by Essex Cricket Club’s Community Outreach Programme, which provided training sessions from professional cricket coaches, and semi-professionals.
Essex Cricket Club players attended the programme to inspire the young people. Highlights included a visit from Eshun Kallay who met the young people at the Essex County Ground.
Funding from Active Essex brought together various partnerships working between Essex Cultural Diversity Project (ECDP), diverse communities in Chelmsford, including the Chelmsford Muslim Association, Chelmsford Sikhs and Chelmsford Hindu Society supported by Essex Cricket Club community Outreach programme.
