A thriving Hartlepool-based cricket project has gained fresh momentum from a national festival providing kids with coaching fit for England’s Test stars.

As part of Wicketz, the Lord’s Taverners project using cricket as a tool for change, local youngsters spent three unforgettable days at Repton School from August 6-8. Using the Derbyshire school’s world-class facilities, the 8 to 16 year-olds were put through their paces by former England coach Peter Moores and ex-international fast bowler Kabir Ali.

Project lead Cole Pearce sung the praises of the residential programme that also offered workshops on social media awareness, crime prevention and poetry. 

“A lot of our kids won’t have had the opportunity to go away from home and probably won’t do again for a good few years,” said the 23-year-old Development Officer. 

“They learned loads and it’s brilliant they can mix with people from other areas of the country.

“It was fabulous to have some great players and coaches with us – they absolutely loved worked with Peter and Kabir, who were so patient and good with the lads.

“We’re three years into our project now but this is the first year we’ve actually felt we’re making progress, so this will help us build on that.” 

The event brought together Wicketz participants from across the country, with the Hartlepool contingent thrown into teams alongside youngsters from Leyton and Tower Hamlets.

The programme aims to establish community cricket clubs in hard-to-reach, deprived areas where opportunities to play sport are lower than the national average.

This year has seen Wicketz go from strength to strength, with 16 projects now flourishing across the UK and over 1400 young people participating in a free community cricket session this year.

Pearce and his fellow volunteers were initially confronted with the herculean task of competing with the pull of football in the region and the delicate need to integrate cricket-mad South Asian children with locals.

But the trip to the Midlands seems to provide further evidence their efforts in both have been successful.

“When we started all the kids wanted to play football for Sunderland or Hartlepool rather than cricket for Durham,” said Pearce, who has just launched a girl’s project at Seaton Carew.

“I think we’ve broken down that barrier now and all but one of them play for a local cricket club.

“We began with a group of really keen Asian children and trying to integrate them with the white kids in Hartlepool was difficult, but this week they’re all together and they’re bonding.”

Derbyshire all-rounder Luis Reece – also on hand to share his expertise with bat and ball – was enthused by the energy of the young participants.

“Everyone should have the opportunity the game we love and this programme offers that to kids who might not otherwise get the chance,” said the former Lancashire ace.

“They are talented kids who all came down with a smile on their face and asked me lots of questions, which is very rewarding to see.”

Using cricket as a tool for change, Wicketz is aimed at hard-to-reach youngsters aged 8-16 within areas of high deprivation across the UK, by engaging young people who live in communities where there are few opportunities to play the game regularly.