Durham County Cricket Foundation has introduced and been involved with numerous community inititives since it was launched in 2009.  With programmes in education, health, grassroots sport. club development and social cohesion the foundation has worked directly with over 7,000 people with the support of its sponsors, coaches and the Durham CCC playing staff.

Education – Supported by Esh Charitable Trust

Playing for Success

21 schools have participated in Playing for Success over the past year, using the Riverside Education Centre for after-school hours learning and physical activity.  Attendance for these sessions is high with over 90% for primary school and 73% for secondary school young people.  Over 50% of young people make progress of 2 sub levels in the 6 months that they attend Playing for Success.  All schools will be attending a Presentation Day at the Notts Outlaws Twenty20 game.

Outreach Programme supported by Esh Charitable Trust

16 schools have participated in this programme so far with a further 8 signed up for the summer term.  All schools receive literacy lessons and cricket coaching, come to Riverside for a Stadium Tour, lesson in the Education Centre and Bowl Out Competition in the Indoor School and have a DCCC player visit to their school to support the programme.  All schools will be attending a Presentation Day at the Northants Steelbacks Twenty20 game.

Education Days

10 days were organised during the summer.  In total 16 schools came to Riverside on a match day to participate in education work in the Education Centre, Stadium Tour and Coaching on the pitch during the lunch interval and then made up the Guard of Honour when the players came back onto the pitch.

Infant Literacy

6 schools sent pupils from Years 1 & 2 to the Riverside Education Centre to take part in this programme.

Creative Writing & Poetry 

6 schools came to Riverside to watch a game and follow this up by writing poems.  All schools came to a Presentation Day at the Nottinghamshire LVCC game.

Family Learning Programme

2 schools came to the Riverside Education Centre.  Parents and pupils were invited and while the young people received coaching in the Indoor School parents were given advice and support to work with their children.

Cricket BTEC

Working in partnership with DCCC Academy we are looking to launch a Cricket BTEC at a local college or school aimed at keeping keen, young cricketers in education for longer as well as developing their cricketing skills.

Health – Supported by Northumbrian Water

 Winning Moves Dance Programme

This programme is spilt into 3 parts.  Firstly a Key Stage 3 & 4 programme that is targeting 13-17 year old girls.  6 schools, one from each district of County Durham will receive up to 8 dance sessions and a motivational Durham CCC player visit leading to 150 young people performing on the pitch at Riverside as part of the pre-match entertainment for the Notts Outlaws Twenty20 game.  The second programme is aimed at girls & boys in Year 6 moving into secondary school in September 2010.  7 schools in Durham City will receive 2 taster sessions in dance with pupils invited to a free summer camp at Riverside leading to the young people performing on the pitch as part of the pre-match entertainment for the ODI against Pakistan on 10th September.

Community Health Services Campaign

Graham Onions will act as an ambassador to support the Durham & Darlington NHS Community Health Services campaign appearing in posters around the county.

Grassroots Sport – Supported by Tesco & Sportsmatch

Schools Coaching Programme

24 primary schools from Newcastle’s West End, Stockton, Morpeth & Stanley are receiving cricket coaching, Durham CCC player visits and cricket equipment with all 24 schools coming to compete in a Bowl Out Cup before the Derbyshire Falcons Twenty20 game.

Coaching Camps

Over 750 people participated in Coaching Camps involving Durham CCC coaches and players organised before games and during all school holidays in 2009 with a full programme again planned for 2010.

Northumberland Sports Unlimited

As an incentive for all young people that achieve a target attendance figure at the Northumberland Sports Unlimited sessions they will receive a Stadium Tour, Cricket Coaching and make up the Guard of Honour at the Notts Outlaws Twenty20 game.

Club Development

Premier League 4Sport

The Foundation has been approached by the Youth Sport Trust and the PDMs within Durham County to be the first sports club outside of the football Premier League to run Premier League 4Sport.  The programme will use the power of the cricket club’s brand, players, venue and match days to help set up a new club in County Durham for each of the four least participated in Olympic sports of volleyball, table tennis, judo and badminton.  There is also the potential to support netball, tennis, athletics and archery through this programme.

Social Cohesion

Show Racism the Red Card

A team poster will be produced to promote the message followed up by an event with local schools and players on a match day during the 2010 season.

Figures for 2009 (First 8 months activity)

• No of people from the local community – 7,520
• No of player visits – 89
• No of schools – 122
• No of cricket clubs – 18
• No of hours of activity - 744

For more information on the Durham County Cricket Foundation please contact Mark Foster (mark.foster@durhamccc.co.uk) on 0191 387 2819.

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