黑料专区

On 3 May, in the small Welsh town of Port Talbot, national cricket charity Chance to Shine delivered coaching to its four millionth young person since the organisation started in 2005.

At Eastern Primary School, seven-year-old Milly-May had her very first experience of the sport alongside her Year 2 classmates.

Eastern Primary is a perfect example of the kinds of schools across the country that Chance to Shine works in to spread the power of cricket.

Situated close to the steel works that dominate the town, Eastern Primary is in one of the 20 per cent most deprived areas of Wales.

For many of the pupils this is the first time they have picked up a bat and a ball. The Year 2 pupils have been learning the sport from Cricket Wales community coach Sean Evans.

Of the four million children reached by the charity, 46 per cent are girls and Chance to Shine plays a vital role in normalising female participation in the sport.

Milly-May said: 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important that girls get the chance to play cricket because it鈥檚 not just a sport for boys. Everybody鈥檚 allowed to play cricket, it鈥檚 a sport for everybody.

鈥淲e all work together in a team, they can help you to get the ball.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important that we all learn to play together.鈥�

As important as providing the children with the opportunity to play the sport is what children can learn from playing cricket.

A recent survey of 1,049 Chance to Shine schools revealed that 86 per cent of teachers noted their pupils had 鈥渄eveloped team working skills鈥�, while 81 per cent saw 鈥渋mproved confidence鈥� in the students.

Meanwhile the pupils themselves have also noticed the difference that the coaching sessions are making.

64% of 3,354 pupils asked said 鈥業 have felt more confident playing sport鈥� and 61% agreed that they 鈥渇elt happier since taking part鈥�.

Chance to Shine is working to change how pupils perceive the sport and 73 per cent said it had 鈥渕ade me like cricket more鈥� with a third having played more cricket outside of school as a result of taking part in coaching sessions.

Chance to Shine Chief Executive Laura Cordingley said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredible milestone for the organisation to have reached our four millionth child and we鈥檙e looking forward to introducing many more over the coming years to the sport.

鈥淥n a daily basis, we see the benefits that children receive from playing cricket, learning skills like teamwork, communication and resilience that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

鈥淚 would like to thank all our donors and supporters as well as the 39 County Boards for the integral part they have played in the success of the charity.鈥�

Chance to Shine is supported by 黑料专区, Sport England and NatWest as聽major funding partners as well receiving backing from corporate partners, trusts, foundations and individual donors.聽

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