Despite being the wrong side of 50 and known to face even a single flight of stairs with some trepidation I am taking on the 3 Peaks Challenge – an attempt to climb the highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales within 24 hours – in order to raise funds to train new coaches for Cricket for Change and help them meet the growing demand for their unique and highly effective programmes.
Cricket for Change uses adaptations of the game to help engage with and change the lives of a wide range of disadvantaged young people, enabling those with a disability to access cricket provision comparable to their able-bodied peers and helping to divert young ‘at risk’ children from criminal activities and gang involvement and to make positive choices about their lives.
The new coaches will all be participants in current programmes, having either a disability or coming from a disadvantaged inner city background. This is a key element to the success, growth and sustainability of all of the charity's programmes as well as the credibilty of the coaches to the young people being targetted. By tapping into the energy and ideas of the young people they work with, and starting them off in their careers in coaching and youth development, Cricket for Change will be able to further accelerate the positive viral loop that it's work has already unleashed.
I will be covering all of the costs of the climb myself so every penny raised will go directly to the charity. Please give as generously as you can and thank you in advance for all your support.
