In 2023
we achieved

amazing things

together

Scroll down to discover the impact we’ve had, or jump to our summary if you are short on time 🙂

Together,

WE DOUBLED

PARTICIPANT NUMBERS

reaching over 23,000 young people

Together,

we helped ensure that young people

FELT LIKE THEY BELONG

0 %
OF PARTICIPANTS

felt more active

0 %
OF PARTICIPANTS

felt more confident

0 %
OF PARTICIPANTS

felt more included

And achieved

SO MUCH MORE

Super 1s became available in every county, Scotland and Wales...

one year ahead of schedule

Two former Super 1s participants became the first to start their disability cricket journey in a grassroots disability cricket programme...

then go on to represent their national team

Two former Super 1s participants became the first to start their disability cricket journey in a grassroots disability cricket programme...

then go on to represent their national team

Cricket sessions were delivered in over 400 new SEND schools for young people with special educational needs and disabilities...

benefitting nearly 13,000 children

30% increase

in the number of Wicketz and Super 1s hubs

30% increase

in the number of Wicketz and Super 1s hubs

42% increase

in female participation

our goals

We measure our impact on young people with disabilities and from disadvantaged communities across the UK through the following outcomes: 

Improving activity levels and promote healthy lifestyles

Engagement in, and access to, inclusive physical activity with peers is essential for the physical and mental health of those we work with.

Increase confidence and promote self-esteem

The growth of young people in all aspects of life is strongly linked to their confidence levels. Confidence is the foundation for young people to develop their personal skills, self-esteem and independence, which helps them lead more fulfilling lives.

Promote social inclusion

We want everyone to feel that cricket is a game for them. By bringing communities together through cricket, we can break down stereotypes, perceptions and develop better relationships.

What did we achieve?

0 %

of our participants said they

felt more active

+

0 %

of our participants said they

feel more optimistic about the future

how did we achieve it?

0

Wicketz Hubs

0

Super 1s Hubs

0

National Residentials

0

Regional Wicketz Festivals

0

health and wellbeing workshops delivered

0

Competitions

Why focus on improving activity levels?

Children living in deprived areas are substantially more likely to lead an unhealthy lifestyle. Access to sport and facilities is a major issue for young people living with a disability. Regular activity, be it physical exercise or social activity that makes you feel like you’re part of something, is vital for young people’s physical and mental health.

Orlaith's Story

This is perfect for Orlaith to get involved in a sport that’s purposefully designed so that she can take part

What did we achieve?

0 %

of our participants said they

felt more confident

+

0 %

of our participants said they

feel more able to make friends

How did we achieve it?

female only hubs

The development of female only Wicketz hubs is helping women and girls feel more confident in engaging with cricket.

residentials

Our residentials allowed participants to experience spending time away from home and build up confidence engaging with different people from different backgrounds and regions of the country.

weekly hub sessions

Regular sessions give young people the opportunity to be part of a positive activity every week with their peers and benefit from a healthy alternative to heavy social media use and feelings of isolation.

Confidence is key for personal development

Self-esteem and confidence are crucial to the development of young people with disabilities and from disadvantaged communities. Both can provide a springboard towards an increased sense of wellbeing and a platform to grow as a person within their community. Confidence is also vital for keeping feelings of depression and loneliness at bay and our programmes offer an environment where young people can thrive through regular activity at local community hubs with peers, which can benefit all aspects of health. 

Connor's Story

Cricket has saved my life

Connor, who lives with cerebral palsy and epilepsy, attends Super 1s in Somerset. His parents were told he wasn’t going to be able to walk when he was a child. Now, he’s a fully-fledged member of the Yeovil Super 1s hub, runs some of the sessions, coaches at his local cricket club and is also a personal trainer. 

What did we achieve?

0 %

of our participants said they

felt more included

+

0 %

of our participants said they

felt more independent

+

0 %

of Wicketz participants 

live in the 30% most deprived areas in the UK

How did we achieve it?

0

Inter-Hub competitions

0

life skills workshops on key local issues

Bringing young people and communities together

We want young people with disabilities and from deprived areas to feel that cricket is a game for them. Our inclusive cricket programmes actively draw in young people facing the challenges of inequality to a community setting where they can be more active alongside others sharing similar life experiences. Participating in regular local cricket sessions gives young people involved, and their parents or carers, the chance to tackle these challenges together. 

Bilaal's Story

Wicketz has made me a better person

Wicketz is not just about cricket, it’s a catalyst for positive change and breaking down barriers in communities. For young people like Bilaal, it’s a pathway to enhancing social cohesion and learning essential life skills.

Impact Summary

What did we deliver?

0 %
OF PARTICIPANTS

felt more active

0 %
OF PARTICIPANTS

felt more confident

0 %
OF PARTICIPANTS

felt more included

0
participants engaged

(up from 10,033 last year)

0
coaching sessions

(up from 6,060 last year)

0
life skills workshops

(up from 277 last year)

0
items of kit donated to 12 countries

(up from 22,043 last year)

Our Work in SEND Schools

Following the introduction of our work in SEND schools at the start of the last academic year thanks to additional funding from the ECB, we reached nearly 600 SEND schools and just over 19,000 young people with a disability through cricket, which includes over 400 new schools 13,000 participants getting access to the game through school for the first time.

This has ensured we have more than doubled the number of participants we have reached through all our programmes this year, and provided participants with a disability a safe space to play a sport that they wouldn’t have otherwise.

Super 1s employability focus

Our vision is for participants to have the opportunity learn key skills that prepare them for the working world through CV and personal statement writing workshops, mock interview days and work experience within the county where they attend Super 1s sessions.

As well as providing an opportunity for participants to develop these key skills, this also provides a great chance for organisations providing the work experience to promote inclusion and diversity internally, which is vital in reducing the stigma around disabled people within the workplace and reducing the inequalities they experience.

0
Super 1s personal development and employability workshops delivered
0
participants received work experience opportunities

Becoming more impactful: Learnings and future development

Over recent years we have continually looked to identify where we can be even more impactful. In striving to achieve this we are designing solutions and approaches to meet our objectives. The primary areas identified for development are…  

LEARNING

  • Our approach to defining, capturing, analysing and reporting our impact needs to be more robust to ensure we are as impactful as we can be.


FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS 

  • Partner with, and implement, Trust Impact recommendations.
  • Develop our Theory of Change.
  • Measure what matters.
  • Develop innovative data reporting and visualisation. 
  •  

LEARNING

  • Our approach to defining, capturing, analysing and reporting our impact needs to be more robust to ensure we are as impactful as we can be.


FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS 

  • Partner with, and implement, Trust Impact recommendations.
  • Develop our Theory of Change.
  • Measure what matters.
  • Develop innovative data reporting and visualisation. 
  •  

LEARNING

  • Our programme design and approach should be driven more by young people and our target cohort. 


FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS

  • Embed youth engagement and empowerment culture across the charity.  

  • People with lived experience from the communities we work in will help inform and shape our programmes.

  •  

LEARNING

  • We should be driven by where we are most impactful and where there is the greatest need.


FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS

  • Develop data driven insights to identify need.

  • Prioritise engaging more women and girls. 

  • Diversify and tailor our disability cricket programmes.

  • Greater collaboration with partners.

  • Expand and develop our workshop toolkits.  

  • Develop expanded and greater employability offers. 

  • Develop our Cricket Kit Recycling approach. 

LEARNING

  • Recruit, retain and deploy a higher quality workforce. 


FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS

  • Implement strategies for Development Officers and Coaches to ensure consistency in talent retention. 

  • Diversify our workforce to ensure that it is more representative of all communities our programmes exist to support. 

Working with Trust Impact

We are determined to become even more impactful. In 2024 we will continue to partner with leading industry experts Trust Impact to improve our capability to define, capture and articulate how impactful we are. Our priority in 2024 is to complete the ongoing work to establish our Theory of Change model with the support of Trust Impact.

our programmes

Purpose

We exist to empower and positively impact the lives of young people facing the challenges of inequality.

vision

Every young person can overcome the challenges of inequality and achieve their potential.

mission

Deliver high quality cricket programmes that empower young people facing inequality to make positive choices, improve their health and wellbeing and achieve positive outcomes.

Super 1s

A community programme for young people with disabilities aged 12-25 which provides them with the opportunity to play regular cricket and enjoy the benefits of playing sport.

Table Cricket

An adapted form of cricket played on a table tennis table, aimed at young people with a wide range of learning and physical disabilities.

Wicketz

A community cricket programme aimed at young people living in areas of deprivation, using cricket as a tool for social change.

Cricket Kit Recycling

A programme which enables young people to access cricket kit and equipment that allows them to take part regularly in the sport.

Thank you!

The impact highlighted in this report has been made possible thanks to the efforts of all our supporters, members, volunteers, donors, trusts and foundations and partners, who continue to help us deliver and improve upon the work we do in empowering young people facing the challenge of inequality.

help more young people feel like they belong

Join our regular giving community empowering young people at risk of exclusion every day of the year

SUPPORTED BY

Registered Company No. 582579
Registered Charity No. 306054
Office of the Scottish Charities
Regular No. SCO46238
Registered Company No. 582579
Registered Charity No. 306054
Office of the Scottish Charities
Regular No. SCO46238