We work in 226 Special Educational Needs schools across the country (21% of schools in England and Wales) and four London hospitals providing specially adapted, accessible cricket coaching for those with mental and physical disabilities.

Disability schools cricket

We run a number of disability projects across the country and provide cricket opportunities to hundreds of young disabled people in over 200 schools.

Our coaches understand the capabilities of pupils with a range of disabilities and special needs and tailor their sessions.

Teachers describe how cricket is helping children with disabilities develop their social and interpersonal skills. They learn how to share, to work as a team and build friendships.

Competitions between disability schools are also allowing young people to get out and socialise with their peers for the first time.

Hospital Schools

In partnership with Capital Kids Cricket, Chance to Shine delivers pioneering cricket sessions in four London hospitals: The Children’s Hospital at Great Ormond Street, Evelina Children’s Hospital at St Thomas’, The Teenage Cancer Unit at The Royal Marsden Hospital and Lavender Walk Adolescent Mental Health Unit. This programme is currently funded by The Angus Lawson Memorial Trust.

Our programme

Inspirational coaches Ray Tudor, Denise O’Neill and Paul Brennan deliver a 36-week cricket themed programme to help children recover from physical and psychological trauma with results that have impressed clinicians, teachers and parents.

The 90-minute sessions feature catching, throwing, batting and bowling techniques that can be delivered to children aged five to 18 with a wide range of abilities. For some, it is the only regular physical education that the children receive during their hospital stay.

Find out more about our hospital programme at Great Ormond Street Hospital

 

It’s not JUST cricket

Some of the children are dealing with debilitating illnesses and some are confined to wheelchairs but all end up taking part and smiling during the boisterous games that fill the school rooms with noise and laughter. 

The sessions are a welcome break from clinical treatments, counselling and periods of isolation for the children; but the effects have far-reaching implications on recovery rates.

Our coaches run weekly hospital cricket sessions in both the main school areas and on specialist wards. A number of children are too sick to make the trip downstairs to the hospital school so activity is adapted to allow bed-bound patients to take part.

Watch Jack's inspiring story of how cricket helped him in hospital