A landmark year for Chance to Shine

Chance to Shine are running a virtual event at 6pm on January 28, 2025, outlining their plans for the future

The year of 2005 was a seminal year for English cricket. Names, moments and matches that are permanently embedded in the psyche of the nation. Off the field, there was an equally seismic shift.

Mark Nicholas, whose dulcet tones became synonymous with that greatest of series, was ready to make a change. Troubled by research unearthing that 88 per cent of state schools didn't play any meaningful cricket, the former Hampshire captain hatched a plan with Governor of the Bank of England Mervyn King and legendary batmaker Duncan Fearnley.

Chance to Shine was born. With the pilot starting in just 72 schools, growth was incremental. Fast forward two decades and the independent charity has taken the game to over seven million children across England, Wales and Scotland. 

They reach a quarter of all primary schools each year, focusing not just on building a love for the game, but developing core life skills and fulfilling potential. Coaches deliver a six-week programme, while also training teachers to confidently deliver the sport moving forward. Sustainability is key.

Where possible, children are transitioned to traditional clubs to continue their journey in the game. For those unable to access such opportunities, Chance to Shine's 'Street' programme runs almost 300 clubs in areas of deprivation, offering free, weekly sessions all year round. The scale is unrivalled. 

In their 20th year, the charity are ready to take things to the next level. They've announced ambitions to bring the game to a million children annually by 2028, prioritising communities that face the most barriers to accessing sport. In the current academic year alone, 75 per cent of schools receiving the charity's programmes have a higher-than-average number of pupils eligible for free school meals.

"The need for Chance to Shine has never been greater," says trustee Eoin Morgan. "We want the whole game to get behind us this year, as we look to give more children than ever the chance to transform their lives through cricket. It feels like a landmark moment."

Click here to sign up for free to Chance to Shine's virtual event at 6pm on January 28, 2025, outlining their plans for the future

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