Sussex launch Learning Centre
Sussex officially launched the Howzat! Learning Centre at their Hove ground prior to the totesport League match against Surrey Lions.
The launch celebrated two and a half years of pioneering work to establish the centre by the Howzat! team and the Sussex staff and players.
A formal ceremony in the centre was attended by an invited audience of past pupils, their parents, the Mayor of Brighton and other local dignitaries.
Selected children from all of Brighton and Hove’s secondary schools, and 17 primary schools, improve their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills by attending the centre for a six-week after-school course.
Building confidence is crucial for the children who attend. The mix of specially skilled staff, real and tangible motivation from SCCC staff and players and learning activities based around cricket, creates an environment where individual success is assured and celebrated.
Manager of Howzat!, Eric Land, said “The best thing about HOWZAT! is that attendance effects an improvement in self-belief and self-confidence, and greater engagement with study.”
Howzat! is part of a national initiative called Playing for Success (PfS) and targets children in years 5-8 who are underachieving, require motivation, lack in self-confidence and are the target of bullying.
A key aim of the PfS initiative is that the centres become self-financing by providing commercial access to the facilities during school hours. In addition, local businesses are targeted to provide equipment and skills free of charge to support the work of the centre.
The centre is also using new mobile photo technology to raise funds thanks to local company Youview. A pay-to-enter mobile photo competition will offer 10 pairs of tickets for the best photos of ‘cricket objects in unusual places’ submitted from mobile camera phones.
Cost of entry is £1.50 per photo and a pair of tickets would normally cost £30. Cricket fans are invited to send their MMS photos to 07793 844845. If their mobile skills are up to it, they can text ‘howzat’ with the MMS message to make it easier to sort the photos out.
CEO of Youview, Fiona Brownsell, said: “We are delighted to support Howzat! raise funds, we know how hard the team work and that they really make a difference for our local kids.”
