Cricket has given millions of young people opportunities, friendships and confidence, and in my role as CEO of Chance to Shine I have the privilege of seeing that impact every day.
Chance to Shine works in schools and communities across the UK, focusing on underserved areas where the need is greatest, to help young people experience cricket, often for the very first time. I’m incredibly proud that we have now helped eight million children take part in the game, with half of those participants being girls. For me, that milestone represents tangible progress towards a game that feels open to more young people than ever before.
Cricket has always been an important part of my life, both personally and professionally. I grew up in West Yorkshire around cricket pitches, watching family members play from club to county level, and from an early age I saw the sense of community and connection the game creates.
My first job took me to Sri Lanka, where cricket is deeply embedded in everyday life and culture, further reinforcing for me how the game brings people together across different backgrounds. As a parent, I have also had the joy (and occasional agony) of watching my own children learn to play the game.
I didn’t grow up understanding that cricket was a game for everyone. Like many girls, I rarely saw women represented in the sport and there were limited opportunities to get involved. Yet in the space of a generation, we’ve seen women move from the tea room and scorebox to the crease, and that progress is something I find incredibly exciting.
The moments I’m proudest of are often the simplest: seeing a girl pick up a bat for the first time, discover confidence through sport, or realise there is a place for her in the game. I’m excited about what comes next for women’s and girls’ cricket and the opportunities still to come.
My message to women and girls is simple: cricket can nurture your talent, your potential and your voice, and there is a place for you in the game, both on and off the pitch.