This year’s Impact Report offers an opportunity to reflect on a particularly significant year for our charity, as Chance to Shine marked its twentieth year. It has been a time of both celebration and of renewed purpose.
THE LORD KING OF LOTHBURY, KG GBE, CHANCE TO SHINE PRESIDENT
Once again, more than 600,000 young people took part in cricket with Chance to Shine. While that figure is impressive, numbers alone do not capture the true meaning of this work. We seek not just to introduce children to the game, but to ensure that those who face the greatest barriers to staying active are given the opportunity to play, to belong and to thrive.
Well over half of the schools receiving our six-week programme last year had a higher-than-average number of pupils facing economic hardship. Our commitment to these communities is vital, a reality reflected in the sobering statistics set out in this report. It is estimated that by 2035 almost a quarter of children aged 10 to 11 will be obese, while last year fewer than half of children facing inequality met government guidelines for physical activity.
Chance to Shine is about far more than cricket. It is about helping children develop a positive and lasting relationship with physical activity, improving their wellbeing, confidence, self-discipline, teamwork,and future life prospects in the process.
Last month, we reached a remarkable milestone – the eight millionth child to pass through a Chance to Shine programme. With the Women’s T20 World Cup taking place this summer in England and Wales, there is a genuine opportunity to build on that achievement and inspire even more young people to engage with the game.
It is particularly encouraging to consider the opportunities now available to women and girls in cricket. I am immensely proud that 51% of participants in Chance to Shine last year were girls. We are determined to ensure that the presence of a major international tournament on our doorstep, and the role models it will showcase, is fully harnessed to inspire the next generation.
It will not have escaped your notice that the much-vaunted ‘Future of Cricket’ fund announced under the previous government has been abandoned. This is disappointing and surprising. But it does not diminish our resolve to provide opportunities to children, especially in deprived areas. We are confident of our vital role not only within grassroots cricket, but also across school sport and the wider curriculum.
Once again, my sincere thanks go to the cricketing community, Sport England, and to all our partners and supporters. Chance to Shine would not be possible without you.
“It is a privilege to sit on the board of Chance to Shine and to see first-hand the focus on ensuring that young people with fewer opportunities to play are able to pick up a bat and ball. I’ve seen the impact up close through visits to projects and conversations with the children in our programmes, and it’s clear that the difference being made is real.
Cricket is far more than a game: it improves wellbeing, builds confidence and develops vital life skills, while helping young people stay active. There is more to be done, and I hope this report inspires you to get involved in any way you can.”
Eoin Morgan
Former England Captain
Chance to Shine Trustee.
“My first introduction to Chance to Shine came when I started coaching a girls Street session at weekends, and I’ve never looked back. I love going into schools and seeing so many children get involved in cricket because of the programmes. Many haven’t played cricket before; it’s such great fun to get them interested!
For me, getting into coaching over the past few years has shown me why making cricket accessible is so important. The sport gives children an opportunity to learn new skills, progress, and achieve something that they couldn’t before. Seeing that confidence grow in them is such a rewarding feeling, it’s just amazing.”
Jusnara Khanom
Chance to Shine Schools Coach
Essex Cricket Foundation
“Cricket has gone from unknown to unmissable at Saviour Primary because of Chance to Shine. For many pupils the Chance to Shine programme was a first opportunity to play cricket. As a result, they’ve not only developed new skills, but grown in determination, self-belief and resilience. Now, it’s the ‘go to’ playground sport, usurping football, despite our location in central Manchester.
With enthusiasm so high, we’ve since added it to the PE curriculum, and I’m expecting anticipation for the new season to reach fever pitch in the next few months. It’s been a total revelation, and seeing their love for cricket grow is wonderful to witness.”
Eileen Anderson
Headteacher, Saviour
CE Primary School
“My love for cricket was sparked watching India v Pakistan back in 2015, but it was at a Chance to Shine Street club where my journey truly started. Street gave me the opportunity to play, as sessions were free at a time where at a time I couldn’t afford a traditional club.
The sessions gave me structure and balance during my teenage years, and it quickly became the highlight of my week. Chance to Shine helped me develop as a person – I stopped being the shy kid who sat quietly in the corner and started believing in myself. Now I’m proud to have my say as a member of the Youth Advisory Board.”
Ammar Din Begum
Chance to Shine Youth Advisory
Board Co-Chair
“As a parent, I’ve seen Street cricket have a really positive impact on my son, Eli. Over the past 18 months it’s helped him to develop a genuine interest in cricket. He goes consistently, enjoys being active with his friends, and it’s even inspired us to watch county cricket together. I really value how inclusive and low pressure the sessions are.
My son has an eye condition and hasn’t always gelled with other sports clubs, but Street feels relaxed and welcoming. It’s built his confidence, kept him active year round thanks to it being indoors, he truly enjoys which I hope will be life-long!”
Catherine Williams
Mum of Street cricketer Eli
The need for our work is clear. Too many children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, are missing out on the physical, social and emotional benefits of sport.
Sport England found:
of children and young people with two or more characteristics of inequality met government guidelines for activity
of those with no characteristics of inequality
On current trends, the Youth Sport Trust estimates:
48% of children will spend three hours or more on screens for entertainment each day
of 10-11 year olds will be obese
schools will see declining attendance, engagement and belonging among the least active pupils
At Chance to Shine, our free cricket programmes are designed to address these issues by removing barriers and reaching children who might otherwise be left behind.
Each year, Chance to Shine works with more than a quarter of primary schools, inspiring a love of cricket and helping young people to get active, build vital skills and improve their wellbeing through sport.
Our children and teacher surveys consistently show the positive impact on children’s physical, mental and social wellbeing. Teachers were asked to rate the impact of the programme on key areas of pupils’ development on a scale of 0–10. The average responses reported in our surveys were:
Until recently, cricket was largely absent at The Crescent Academy. There were few links to the game locally and limited confidence among staff to teach it. That began to change when Chance to Shine coaches from Staffordshire Cricket arrived at the school.
Chance to Shine programmes spark a love of cricket in children and encourage them to keep playing. Working closely with the ECB and the recreational game, we help create clear pathways for young people – and ensure cricket is a game for everyone.
Since participating in the Chance to Shine programme:
of teachers reported more children playing cricket in PE
of teachers said more children have been playing informally at breaktime
reported more children have been playing in extracurricular school clubs
of teachers agreed the programme increased pupils’ interest in playing cricket outside of school
Proportion of teachers surveyed who agreed they feel confident to teach a cricket session without an external coach present:
Proportion of teachers surveyed who agreed they knew where to signpost a child to continue playing cricket outside of school:
“The ECB’s investment into Chance to Shine helps even more children discover a love for cricket at an age when lifelong passions are formed. In partnership with our 38 Recreational Cricket Boards, they create and enable key routes into our national youth programmes and into organised, competitive play in local cricket clubs.”
LESHIA HAWKINS
Managing Director, Recreational Game, England and Wales Cricket Board
“The ECB’s investment into Chance to Shine helps even more children discover a love for cricket at an age when lifelong passions are formed. In partnership with our 38 Recreational Cricket Boards, they create and enable key routes into our national youth programmes and into organised, competitive play in local cricket clubs.”
LESHIA HAWKINS
Managing Director, Recreational Game, England and Wales Cricket Board
We run competitions alongside our programmes to introduce young people to organised matches in a friendly, accessible way.
In primary school, we support schools to take part in local and regional competitions so pupils can experience what it’s like to test themselves in a competitive environment. We work closely with School Games Organisers to reach as many schools as possible and link this work with the ECB’s national programmes.
children took part in Inter-Primary School Competitions
Chance to Compete is our national secondary school competition, giving state school pupils the chance to play competitive cricket in short, inclusive matches. Formats and rules are adapted to reduce barriers for schools while staying true to the game, with flagship regional events at U13 and U15 for girls’ teams.
girls took part in Chance to Compete
Our Street Cricket competition uses a fast-paced tape-ball format with short indoor matches of 20 balls per side. Street clubs compete in regional finals via our delivery network, with winners advancing to the National Cricket Finals in August at the University of Nottingham, across girls’, open youth and adult categories.
took part in Street competitions
When Durham, Southern Brave and England off-spinner Mady Villiers visited our Chance to Compete regional final last summer, it was not her first experience of the competition.
Chance to Shine aims to not only give young people a sense of belonging, but to develop their wider wellbeing and life skills to help fulfil their potential.
Professional Cricketer
USA/Lancashire
Watching England Women play at Lord’s sparked Tara Norris’s childhood dream: to play professional cricket on that very turf. But it was a Chance to Shine session at her primary school that turned that dream into something real.
After moving to the UK from Spain aged eight, Tara felt shy and uncertain in a new environment. Cricket changed that. “I fell in love with it straight away. It felt like a real community,” she says. Her confidence grew quickly, and after impressing at Horsham Cricket Club, Tara progressed through Sussex’s pathway before earning a professional contract.
Today, Tara plays internationally for the USA and has joined the UP Warriors in the WPL. She is also a regular for London Spirit in The Hundred – playing at the Home of Cricket, just as she once imagined.
Professional Cricketer
England Lions/Lancashire
Mitchell’s cricket journey began with a Chance to Shine visit to his primary school, St Andrew’s CofE Primary, Shifnal. More than a decade later, he’s returning from an England Lions tour of Australia and preparing for another season with Lancashire County Cricket Club.
That first visit inspired Mitchell to join Shifnal Cricket Club, where his talent was quickly recognised. He progressed onto Shropshire’s talent pathway, joined Worcestershire’s academy, and went on to break into the first team.
Throughout this period, Mitchell remained closely connected to Chance to Shine through leadership training and the guidance of Luke Swann, a Chance to Shine coach in Shropshire and Northants. Luke, who sadly passed away in 2023 after a short battle with cancer, was integral to Mitchell’s development. He was there when Mitchell first picked up a ball at primary school and later invested countless hours refining the fast-bowling skills Mitchell now uses for Lancashire and England Lions.
Street Cricketer & Coach
Smethwick Street Club
When Zak Naqvi travelled to Nottingham last year as a coach with Smethwick Street Club, it marked just how far his journey had taken him – from eager young player to confident young leader.
As a child, Zak took every chance he could to play cricket. Chance to Shine’s free Street sessions gave him regular access to the game, alongside something just as important: a space to grow in confidence. “It’s helped me with my social skills and helped me become a better person,” he says. “I’m confident to talk to people now… we’re like a massive, extended family.”
Encouraged by his Chance to Shine coach, Zak was introduced to West Bromwich Dartmouth CC, where he now plays and coaches. Now studying Sports Coaching and Development at Birmingham Newman University, Zak is working towards further qualifications while inspiring others through cricket.
Head of Schools & Young People
Surrey Cricket Foundation
Chloe Leveridge’s cricket journey began with a Chance to Shine session at Felixstowe Academy in Year 7. After trying several sports, cricket was the one that finally “clicked.” Those school sessions led her to a local club just as its girls’ section was forming – a moment she describes as life-changing.
“Without Chance to Shine, I wouldn’t have had the career I’ve had or the opportunity to work in sport,” Chloe says. “It gave me a foot in the door.” From there, she progressed through county cricket, gained coaching qualifications and secured her first paid role. That opportunity grew into a full-time career in cricket development and senior leadership roles across the county game.
Cricket opened doors far beyond her hometown. Inspired by her own journey, and by seeing the impact of cricket for her brother with SEN, Chloe remains passionate about inclusive access to sport.
Our Street cricket clubs engage young people (aged eight – 24) in under-served areas, giving them the opportunity to develop their cricket and life skills, and take part in informal games. Typically, these run weekly, year-round, after school or at weekends.
Street clubs are completely free-to-access, and young people don’t need to bring any equipment or wear specialist kit.
Sessions are run in sports halls, youth clubs, parks, and places of worship, teaching an accessible format of the game. Most clubs are open to all genders, but in some locations, we run all-girls sessions to remove barriers to entry.
“Street Clubs align closely with our long-term strategy – tackling inequalities and levelling up access to community sport and physical activity – and we’re pleased to work with Chance to Shine as a System Partner to deliver these shared goals..”
Phil Smith, Executive Director, Sporting System Sport England
young people attended sessions
of participants were from minority ethnic backgrounds
Street clubs are positioned carefully to ensure young people can easily access sessions. 73% of Street cricketers take less than 15 minutes to get to their Street club
9 in 10 Street clubs were based in the most deprived areas of England and Wales
THE IMPACT OF OUR PROGRAMMES
Our surveys of Street cricketers and their parents consistently show the positive impact on physical, mental and social wellbeing and personal development.
When asked to rate the impact Street cricket has on their children on a scale of 0-10, the average responses reported by parents were:
WHAT STREET CRICKETERS EXPERIENCE
agreed they felt safe and happy at their session
agreed they felt respected and included
had made new friends and met people from different backgrounds or areas
agreed their coach is fair
had the opportunity to be a leader
found it easy to work in teams
Read how 13 year old Arthur has thrived at his Street cricket club in Streatham.
Delivering cricket to over 600,000 young people across England, Scotland and Wales is a massive team effort. Working alongside our delivery partners, we deliver sessions in schools and communities via a workforce of 820 trained, professional coaches.
We support coaches through a layered approach that includes tutor-led training, regionally delivered courses and ongoing development. We work closely with organisations such as Youth Sport Trust and Play Their Way to ensure child-first, inclusive practice is embedded and shared across our network, making sure our programmes are best in class. This helps shape our coaching and teaching resources, which are accredited by the Association for Physical Education (afPE).
“All of our coaches who attended (training) came back really enthused. For younger and newer coaches, it’s been powerful, especially around embedding life skills like resilience into sessions, something you don’t really get in traditional coach education.
What really sets the training apart is the highly engaging, yet patient delivery….the coaches have come back with extended knowledge, fresh approaches, and a real excitement to put it all into practice.”
MICK ARMSTRONG,
Operations Manager, Durham Cricket Foundation
hours of cricket delivered by Chance to Shine coaches in 2024/25
of pupils agreed ‘my coach is kind’
of teachers agreed their schools’ Chance to Shine coach was engaging and reliable
of Chance to Shine Street cricketers agreed ‘I look up to my coach’
of parents agreed ‘My child’s coaches are good role models’
See how coach Daisy inspired one young girl in Merstham
“Working in partnership is central to how Chance to Shine delivers its programmes. By building and strengthening relationships across the recreational game, with other cricket charities and a wide range of youth organisations – we can expand our reach and increase our impact in communities across the country.
Crucially, these partnerships allow us to take a genuinely place-based approach. By combining local insight with shared expertise and existing provision, we can ensure our programmes are shaped by local need and reach the young people who will benefit most.”
Kate Stephens
Chief Executive Officer
Chance to Shine
Cornerstone funding from the England and Wales Cricket Board and Sport England plays a vital role in Chance to Shine’s ability to raise more than £7 million each year to deliver our core programmes.
These long-term partnerships are built on shared values and a common commitment to grassroots sport. They give us the stability to plan for the future and to make sustained, meaningful commitments to our delivery partners.
Chance to Shine’s impact reaches communities across the UK through a network of 41 delivery partners, including recreational cricket boards, Cricket Wales, Cricket Scotland and StreetGames. This network enables us to combine national investment with strong local delivery, underpinned by robust planning and grant funding processes
“Working with Chance to Shine means we can spend our time where it really counts – coaching in schools.”
Emily Munro, Head of Operations and Programmes at Hampshire Cricket Board
MEET OUR DELIVERY PARTNERS
Alongside our delivery network, Chance to Shine works closely with other charities and organisations, including Lord’s Taverners, the MCC Foundation and ACE, to ensure a joined up approach to supporting young people through cricket
As we enter our 21st year, we are determined to grow the impact of Chance to Shine still further.
I’m encouraged by the Government’s renewed commitment to ensuring children and young people can take part in high-quality sport, with developments such as the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, Enrichment Framework and Youth Strategy marking a positive step forward. We look forward to playing our part in this landscape, widening opportunities and helping more young people play, learn and grow through cricket.
Our focus remains firmly on reaching children from disadvantaged backgrounds through our two core programmes in primary schools and Street clubs.
We are currently working closely with our delivery partners to agree place-based plans for our primary schools programme over the next two years, with planning for Street clubs beginning later this year. Across both programmes, our priorities are clear: to focus on under-served communities, reflect a deep understanding of local need, and support lifelong participation in sport and physical activity.
Just as important is making sure young people have a genuine voice in how we work. Whether through our surveys, our child-first coaching principles, or the insight and challenge provided by our Youth Advisory Board, we are committed to listening to young people and learning from their experiences.
Looking ahead, 2026 is an exciting year for cricket, with a particular highlight for me being the Women’s T20 World Cup in England & Wales this summer. Working alongside the ECB, we will seize this opportunity
to inspire more girls to give cricket a go. We will be delivering Cricket World Cup events in secondary schools near host venues and connecting young people with our Chance to Compete Girls’ Under 13 and Under 15 competitions.
It is our broad and growing community that enables Chance to Shine to have the impact it does. I am incredibly grateful for the continued support of our partners, coaches, teachers, children, parents, members of our Youth Advisory Board, our staff team, my fellow Trustees and all of our donors. Their commitment, insight and generosity ensure we continue to deliver high-quality programmes that respond to local communities and make a real difference.
There is so much to look forward to, and I hope you will join us as we continue this journey together.
Tim Score
Chair of Trustees
Chance to Shine
Continuously improve delivery and sustainability, prioritising under-served communities.
Strengthen Street clubs to further meet the needs of under-served communities.
Secure new funding and test innovative delivery and partnership models.
Chance to Shine’s mission to offer all young people the opportunity to play, learn, and develop through cricket is only made possible by the dedicated community of partners and supporters that continue to fund our work.
Alongside cornerstone funding from the ECB and Sport England, philanthropic income funds both our school and Street programmes in under-served communities across England, Scotland, and Wales. Despite a challenging funding landscape in the charity sector, Chance to Shine saw a sizeable increase in our charitable income during 2024/25, which was driven by significant growth of 35% in our private fundraising.
Chance to Shine remains an incredibly efficient way for corporate partners, charitable foundations, and individuals to support young people with 85% of total expenditure spent on our charitable activities. This remains well in excess of our 80% target and far ahead of the average within the sector.
As we move into the final three years of our Limitless Futures strategy, our focus remains on building a sustainable and diverse range of income streams that will help to ensure we are able to deliver our programmes in the communities across the UK where we will have the biggest impact.
of our total expenditure was spent on charitable activities
Charitable activities include the Chance to Shine Schools and Street programmes and the costs of a regional Operations team.
Fundraising includes the cost of fundraising campaigns and staff costs relating to the Fundraising team.
Support costs are all other costs of the charity, including finance, communications, office and administration costs.
Chance to Shine Enterprises is a subsidiary company which runs fundraising events and manages sponsorship contracts on behalf of the charity.
We would like to thank all who have supported, and who continue to support, Chance to Shine
The Lord King of Lothbury, KG CBE
Mark Nicholas
Sir Tim Rice
Sir Donald Brydon
Graham Able
Sir Danny Alexander
Nick Anstee
Adrian Beecroft, Esq.
Laura Cordingley
John Dodge
Simon Dyson
Charlotte Edwards, CBE
Peter Gale
Garri Jones
Wasim Khan, MBE
Judy Knappett
Will Lawes
Doug McAllister
Sophie O’Connor
Tim O’Gorman
Alison Oliver
Russell Perry
Ebony Rainford-Brent, MBE
Caspar Rock
Mike Soper
Oliver Stocken, CBE
Luke Swanson
Duncan Fearnley
Anshu Jain
Dana Abdulkarim
Amit Aggarwal
Emma Bernstein
Steve Davies
Sharon Hague
Sir Mark Harford
Eoin Morgan, CBE
Bilal Raja
Tim Score
Chris Townsend
Roland Turnill
David Walker
Isobel Chesney
Ammar din Begum
Rowan Hunt
Raghav Jaiswal
Momina Khalid
Jeevankan Kumar
Mollie Ovenden
Llio Parry
Kinjal Ratilal
Isaac Roderick-Zabrocky
Areesh Saqib
Sam Stockton
Sara Yasin
Qasim Afzal
Jack Daniels
Sir Mark Harford
Aditya Khanna
Ravi Rajagopal
Michael Reyner
David Taylor
Saibh Young
Richard and Diana Allan
Sir Donald and Lady Corrine Brydon
Jack Daniels
Naguib, Nina & Ali Kheraj
Shane Mackay
Mark Richer
Nudgem Richyal
Amanda Wood, in loving memory of Graham Yates
Richard and Amanda Rowse
Mark Anderson
Tessa Bamford
Neil Berkett
Paul Dowling
Rt Hon Sir Christopher Floyd
Ewen Gilmour, Esq
Peter Goodwin
Andy Gray
Sir Mark Harford
Guy Hayward-Cole
Karthic Jayaraman
Neil Jennings
Michael Jones, OBE
Will Lawes
Robert Legget
Doug McAllister
Krishna Murali
Alan Myers
George Peebles
Trevor Price
Michael Reyner
Olivia Robinson
Tim Score
Ravi Shankar
David Suddens
Simon Warshaw
England and Wales Cricket Board
Sport England
BGC International
Compare the Market
ICAP PLC
Matchroom Sports Charitable Foundation
Premier Foods
RBC Wealth Management
Unilever
Vestey Holdings Ltd
Yorkshire Tea
Fidelity UK Foundation
Future Charity
Garfield Weston Foundation
John Armitage Charitable Trust
SG Catto Charitable Trust
The Buffini Chao Foundation
The Childhood Trust
The Hutchinson Charitable Trust
The Lindsell Foundation
The Monday Charitable Trust
The Stacey Foundation
The Tomoro Foundation
Westminster Foundation
Berkshire Cricket Foundation
Bucks Cricket
Cambridgeshire Cricket
Cheshire Cricket Board
Cornwall Cricket Board
Cricket Dorset
Cricket East
Cricket Scotland Council
Cricket Wales
Cumbria Cricket
Derbyshire Cricket Foundation
Devon Cricket Foundation
Durham County Cricket Foundation
Essex Cricket in the Community
Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation
Hampshire Cricket Board
Herefordshire Cricket
Hertfordshire Cricket
Isle of Wight Cricket Board
Kent Cricket Foundation
Lancashire Cricket Foundation
Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket
Foundation
Lincolnshire County Cricket
Marylebone Cricket Club
Middlesex in the Community
Norfolk Cricket Foundation
Steelbacks Foundation
Northumberland Cricket Board
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
The Oxfordshire Cricket Board
Shropshire Cricket Board
Somerset Cricket Foundation
Staffordshire Cricket
StreetGames
Suffolk Cricket
Sussex Cricket Foundation
The Surrey Cricket Board
The Warwickshire Cricket Foundation
Wiltshire Cricket
Worcestershire Cricket Foundation
Yorkshire Cricket Foundation
Alison Van Sittert
Cat Kerr-Smith
Charlie Baxter
Chris Baker
Danny Maskell
Ella Rogers
Frank Brand
Hugh Phillipps
Ian Gregory
Jaimal Patel
James Hendry
Kate Stephens
Katie Fawkner-Corbett
Laura Crofts
Les Rolt
Lizzy Heyman
Martha Haslam
Matt Long
Melda Kahraman
Mina Zahoor
Nic Platt
Rohan Randhawa
Roshni Kewlani
Ross Jeavons
Sam Armour
Sam Cope
Sam Tilling
Sandhya Yadav
Solomon Bailey-Smith
Steve Peyman
Stuart Priscott
Will Kirkup
Delivery Partner of the Year: Hampshire Cricket Board
Young Person of the Year: (Schools) Imogen Griffin
Young Person of the Year (Street): Oscar Gunderson
Primary School of the Year:
Slade Primary School
Secondary School of the Year: Tynecastle High School
Schools Coach of the Year: Jusnara Khanom
Street Club of the Year:
ACANE Street Club
Street Coach of the Year:
Nazakat Ali
Want to stay in touch with all the latest updates from Chance to Shine?
Sign up to receive emails about our latest news, appeals, events and volunteering opportunities.
