Chance to Shine recognise stars of the sport at national awards In an inspiring evening, winners from across the country were recognised for the work that they do to support grassroots cricket at the Chance to Shine Awards on Wednesday 20 November. The Chance to Shine Annual Awards, supported by NatWest and hosted by BBC's Eleanor Oldroyd, celebrates clubs, individuals and schools who help to spread the power of cricket and make the charity such a success. Winners on the night included Lanchester EP Primary School, Durham, who were named Primary School of the Year for their outstanding work to support their pupils to take part in cricket. Whilst Sophie Luff from Somerset Cricket Board, who also played for the Western Storm in the Kia Super League, won the Schools Coach of the Year. Elsewhere, Bashir Jabbarkhail (pictured in the middle) was named Street Participant of the Year. Bashir, a refugee from Afghanistan, arrived in the country speaking no English but has developed a real passion for cricket. Through taking part in the sport has made new friends and it has enabled him to settle into the community in Thetford where he lives. Just months after entering the UK, he is already developing his coaching skills to support other children at the Street project where he plays. The final award of the evening was the NatWest No Boundaries Award which recognises those who work to support cricket as a diverse and inclusive sport. Hospital Schools coach Denise O’Neill was this year’s winner, acknowledging her incredible work at Great Ormond Street, Evelina and the Chelsea & Westminster Hospitals working with children who have a range of mental and physical illnesses and get very little opportunity to take part in physical activity. Check out the winners videos: National charity Chance to Shine has been working since 2005 to deliver cricket coaching sessions in state schools and disadvantaged communities. Over the years, the charity has reached more than four million young people, 46% of whom are girls, in over 16,000 state schools across the country. Retired England fast-bowler Ryan Sidebottom, who attended the event, said “Tonight’s winners are an amazing example of what the power of cricket can do for children and young people and they should all be incredibly proud of their accolade. It has been an incredibly inspiring evening, hearing all about the amazing work that is happening around the country through Chance to Shine. 2019 has been the most phenomenal year of cricket in this country at all levels and this evening has really topped it off.” Laura Cordingley, Chief Executive at Chance to Shine, added, “On behalf of Chance to Shine, I’d like to congratulate all the winners for their incredible commitment to spreading the power of cricket. They are a shining example of the impact that cricket can have on children and young people across the country and we are so proud to be able to celebrate their achievements. “At Chance to Shine we will continue to work to support children and young people to play, learn and develop through cricket and we’re so grateful to have the support of key partners the England & Wales Cricket Board, Sport England and NatWest. Their support is crucial to ensuring that we can reach over half a million children every year.” Full list of winners Street Participant of the Year - Bashir Jabbarkhail Community Cricket Award - Nottinghamshire Cricket Board Project of the Year - Heera-Ranis Street Project No Boundaries Award - Denise O'Neill Street Coach of the Year - Masoor Khan Primary School of the Year - Lanchester EP Primary School Schools Coach of the Year - Sophie Luff Secondary School of the Year - Cambourne Village College County Board of the Year - Middlesex Cricket Board Manage Cookie Preferences