Chance to shine gets further financial boost

The Cricket Foundation’s Chance to shine, which aims to revitalise competitive cricket in state schools, has received a significant boost with confirmation of further government support.

Chance to shine will be a beneficiary of the new National Sports Foundation, outlined by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his pre-Budget statement last December.

Chance to shine will receive £2.5 million per annum from March 2007 - subject to its meeting agreed performance targets and fulfilling NSF criteria.

The government support – combined with £2 million already received from Sport England – could result in a total contribution of up to £25 million.

This would match pound for pound what the Cricket Foundation is committed to raising from private sources – both from individuals and from business.

So far, some £8.5 million has been raised or pledged in this way.

The Minister for Sport, Richard Caborn, said: "Chance to shine is a fantastic initiative that aims to bring cricket to schoolkids across the country.

"Our Ashes win last summer showed to a brand new generation just how captivating cricket can be."

This new government money will help cricket build on that success and, who knows, may just introduce the next Freddie Flintoff into the game.

“It will also get kids active from an early age, helping them to lead healthy and active lives.”

Chance to shine began with successful pilot schemes last year involving 12 carefully chosen cricket clubs and 72 schools.

This season one hundred clubs and their coaches will deliver high quality programmes of coaching and competition to six hundred schools.

Over the next ten years, the aim is to reach about a third of schools in England and Wales through about 800 clubs.

The Cricket Foundation is an independent charity committed to providing opportunities for young people through cricket.

Its Director, Nick Gandon, said: “We’re delighted to have won the enthusiastic support of government, which recognises the clear educational benefits that Chance to shine aims to bring.

“The matched funding provides a huge incentive to government and to private supporters by ensuring that respective contributions are automatically doubled in value.”