England Captain Heather Knight Launches New ICC Cricket For Good School Resource With Unicef And Chance To Shine
LONDON, 15 May 2017 – England captain and Chance to Shine Ambassador Heather Knight today visited Hague Primary School in East London to inspire young girls and boys ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy and ICC Women’s World Cup taking place across England and Wales in June and July.
Heather’s visit helped to launch a new classroom based educational resource, which has been developed by Unicef UK, Chance to Shine, and the Youth Sport Trust, under the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Cricket for Good banner, and uses cricket to support learning and promote awareness of the rights of children around the world.
Speaking at the launch, Heather Knight said: “We have a massive opportunity to inspire children this summer during the ICC Champions Trophy and ICC Women’s World Cup. The schools resource from Unicef UK, Chance to Shine and the Youth Sport Trust is a great way to bring cricket into the classroom and help children learn about their rights at school.
“I know I would have loved a cricket-themed lesson when I was a kid! I’d urge all primary school teachers to get involved and download this free resource.”
The new education resource is available for any school around the world to download from the ICC website, and contains a six-week, cricket-based curriculum, which combines opportunities for pupils to get active, develop cricket skills, undertake exciting projects and learn about the rights of children everywhere.
England captain Heather took part in one of the six cricket-themed lessons in the classroom, before heading outside to Hague Primary School’s rooftop playground to watch how the resource can be used in a PE class.
Alongside the launch of the new Cricket for Good educational resource today, the ICC, Unicef UK, and Chance to Shine will also work together this summer to deliver a series of once in a lifetime opportunities for schoolchildren to engage directly with the ICC Champions Trophy and ICC Women’s World Cup.
On match days, local schools will be invited to provide pupils to act as team mascots and flag bearers as part of every national anthem ceremony, while 16 lucky schools will get the chance to take part in a special Cricket for Good coaching clinic, with pupils set to enjoy a fun-filled session led by some of the best players in the world from the participating teams.
Hague Primary School, located in Bethnal Green, is a member of the Chance to Shine network and a recipient of the Unicef UK Level 2 Rights Respecting School Award, the highest level of this accreditation, which supports over 4,000 schools across the UK to embed children’s rights in their ethos and culture.
Throughout this summer of cricket, the Cricket for Good and Unicef partnership is using the extraordinary power and reach of cricket to help transform children’s lives around the world, so that one day every child will be free from danger. Follow on social media by using #OneDay4Children.
–ENDS–
For more information please contact:
UNICEF UK Media Team
0207 375 6030
[email protected]
Chance to Shine Media Team
020 7820 9379
[email protected]
About Unicef
Unicef is the world’s leading organisation for children, promoting the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.
Unicef UK raises funds to protect children in danger, transform their lives and build a safer world for tomorrow’s children. As a registered charity we raise funds through donations from individuals, organisations and companies and we lobby and campaign to keep children safe. Unicef UK also runs programmes in schools, hospitals and with local authorities in the UK. For more information please visit unicef.org.uk.
About Cricket For Good
Cricket For Good is the International Cricket Council global community outreach programme that addresses a range of social issues and supports initiatives that strive to positively impact children and families worldwide.
For more information on the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 and ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 visit www.icc-cricket.com and follow us on #CT17 and #WWC17, respectively.
About Unicef UK’s Rights Respecting Schools Award
The Unicef UK Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) supports schools across the UK to embed children’s rights in their ethos and culture. The award recognises achievement in putting the UN Convention on the Right of the Child (UNCRC) at the heart of a school’s practice to improve well-being and help develop every child’s talents and abilities to their full potential. Over 4,000 primary and secondary schools in the UK are involved, and many have reported a positive impact on behaviour, relationships and well-being, leading to better learning, improved academic standards and a reduction in bullying.
About Chance to Shine
Chance to Shine is a national charity on a mission to spread the power of cricket throughout schools and communities. It takes cricket to new places and uses it to ignite new passions, teach vital skills, unite diverse groups, and educate young people from Cornwall to Canterbury to County Durham.
Chance to Shine Street (formerly ‘StreetChance’) takes the game and its educational benefits to disadvantaged areas affected by youth crime and anti-social behaviour.
The programme is using the power of cricket to engage young people from a range of backgrounds, increase aspiration and promote respect. In the past 10 years Chance to Shine has proved that cricket has the power to bring young people from all walks of life together and teach life skills that will stay with them forever. The charity is committed to giving all young people the chance to play it, learn from it and enjoy it.