Award winners set Shine-ing example
CRICKET
DURHAM County Cricket Board won the County Board of the Year award at the Chance to Shine Annual Awards.
It received the accolade from England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Colin Graves in recognition of the success of its school cricket delivery model over the past 12 months.
The award comes after a successful implementation of the Chance to Shine’s new school programme in Durham, which focuses on KS1 and KS2 activity to create a pathway to link in with the ECB’s entry-level offer All Stars Cricket.
Last year Durham Cricket Board reached more than 16,000 pupils in the county in 104 primary schools through a series of inter-school competitions.
The delivery model proved successful with more than 50% of signups to the ECB’s All Stars Cricket programme in Durham resulting from school engagement.
The annual awards, supported by NatWest, celebrated those who are spreading the power of cricket in schools and communities across the country and help make the charity a success.
DCCB chairman Bob Jackson said: “It is great news we were in receipt of this award.
“It is thoroughly deserved and I would wish to congratulate Graeme Weekes and his team for a marvellous delivery of the Chance to Shine programme.”
Director of Cricket Development Weekes said: “It is great to see our hard work noticed and I am really proud of our team, they truly deserve this recognition.
“This award gives us the confidence to know we have succeeded in inspiring pupils to take up cricket and motivates us to keep going.”
Chance to Shine project manager at DCCB Steven Bell added: “We are honoured to have won the County Board of the Year award.
“It is a great recognition of the team’s efforts and commitment to the new school programme.”