To kick off the summer of community cricket, the Warwickshire Cricket Foundation collaborated with Birmingham Phoenix to host an unforgettable Enrichment Day at Edgbaston Community Sports Ground.
The event gathered primary and secondary school students from across the county to get them excited about cricket ahead of their summer holidays.
Students were divided into six teams and participated in a continuous cricket festival throughout the day, which included the opportunity to meet Moeen Ali, a Warwickshire and Birmingham Phoenix player.
Moeen visited all three pitches, participated in some of the action, and treated students to a signing session. The day looked to raise awareness of local cricketing opportunities for children in Warwickshire.
Two students from Welsh House Farm Community School had the opportunity to sit down and interview Moeen Ali about their favourite things.
“It was such an outstanding experience meeting Moeen, it is once in a lifetime and something that I will always remember as I get older.”
“I found the whole experience brilliant and extremely fun and the whole programme in school was really enjoyable.”
The day was part of a bigger effort at Welsh House Farm, with the school receiving regular dynamos cricket during timetabled sessions during the last term.
Matt Jones, PE Specialist at Welsh House Farm Community School, said “The Warwickshire Cricket Foundation have been in our school delivering cricket sessions to the children, on the back of this we have been running a cricket afterschool club and the uptake has been fantastic, we regularly get 25-30 children every week.”
“At the end of the half term programme the children received Dynamos t shirts and cricket bats. The children’s faces were a picture when they received these and you can tell they felt really privileged.”
“We attended the day on Monday and the children got to meet Moeen Ali. It was an incredible opportunity which we wouldn’t have been able to access without the support of the Foundation.”
“The Community Dynamos programme has been one of the most rewarding things we’ve done this year and hope we can continue it into next year. I recommend this to all schools.”
Simran Riat, Community Participation Officer, said “It’s such a brilliant and exciting opportunity for these students to take time out of their school day to visit a ground that hosts games of professional cricket; an opportunity many of these children may never usually access with where their schools are typically located.”
“I’m really grateful to the Birmingham Phoenix for making the day a success; we have a great relationship with them at the Foundation and they are always happy to support our community events.”
The Warwickshire Cricket Foundation thanks Moeen Ali and the Birmingham Phoenix. Click here to learn more about the Warwickshire Cricket Foundation’s work in the community.