Following a year of Cricket engagement and partnership building in Ilkeston, funded by the Derbyshire PCC to tackle Anti-Social behaviour, the Derbyshire Cricket Foundation are now pleased to extend the community initiative in the shape of a 4th Lords Taverners Wicketz hub in the County from 2027.
Police & Crime Commissioner project
A collaborative approach from October 2025 formed the early planning and networking stage of our year long project, allowing the DCF to support already established initiatives in Ilkeston, such as Parkside High CIC and their Youth Offers, and Safe & Sound’s outreach visits to local ASB hotspots, to help establish links with local providers and the community.
From there, 20 weeks of community engagement sessions were planned to take place from April at The Pod on Summerfields Way, through a delivery partnership with Parkside High. It was here where young people from local Schools, diversionary activity and passers-by engaged in cricket for an hour and a half per week, making use of the MUGA and green space.
As well as our weekly delivery at the Pod, many local schools have benefited from awareness visits and taster sessions, looking to signpost young people to our weekly activity, giving them something to do and benefitting from the wider outcomes of sport. Local Secondary School Ormiston Academy made cricket part of their enrichment sessions on Thursday afternoons which we supported for the Summer Term.
Richard Siddons of Ormiston Ilkeston Enterprise Academy said:
“The enrichment session provided by DCF was an excellent opportunity for a number of our students, many of which from the most deprived postcodes in the county to access a sport that they had previously been unable to. We at OIEA are extremely keen to develop our partnership with the DCF further and widen our offer to the young people of Ilkeston.”
As a way of rewarding the young people who engaged in The Pod sessions since April, we delivered a one-off Community day with Ilkeston Rutland Cricket Club at Rutland Sports Park during the Summer Holidays. The Cricket Club opened their doors to provide a friendly environment as well as their own volunteers to support the day and promote the extra opportunities that are available there for local people. Activities like cricket, football, and a bucket hat design competition were all enjoyed by those who attended the festival.
Continuing the ground work with a Wicketz Hub
An initial aim for our project funded by the Police & Crime Commissioner was a hope that it could be succeeded by a Wicketz Hub. Wicketz is a nationwide initiative for young people funded by Lords Taverners, which uses Cricket to empower disadvantaged communities.
The partnership that we have formed with Parkside High CIC will be the driving force behind this project, providing more weekly community cricket sessions in 2027.
Our aim is that the Wicketz project will hit wider social outcomes to increase the prospects for local young people, diverting them away from anti-social behaviour and to represent the local community in a positive light. We will continue to work with local partners and schools who are able to refer and signpost towards the Wicketz programme, and support the local Cricket Cub as a further route for participation.
Katie Holland, Wicketz Programme Manager from Lords Taverners said:
“We are thrilled to be bringing wicketz to a new area and creating more opportunities for young people to access free, fun, and inclusive cricket sessions. This hub represents more than sport; it's about building confidence, inspiring ambition, and strengthening connections across the community. We are proud to create a space where young people can make friends, learn new skills, and develop a lifelong love of cricket.”
To read more about our Wickets offer for young people age 8-16, see HERE.