Yorkshire Cricket launch new campaign to tackle health inequalities in Sheffield

The Yorkshire Cricket Foundation are launching a new pilot campaign to help tackle health inequalities in Sheffield, by delivering free cricket sessions.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The community run project involves giving Sheffield residents a range of free cricket-based activities, while encouraging more people to become active in areas of Sheffield, where people are more prevalent to serious health issues.

Read More
The ‘deprived’ area of Sheffield with the HIGHEST rates of Covid-19 in the count...

In collaboration with the English Cricket Board and the Government kick-start campaign, it will be a six-month pilot, which will start in Fir Vale, with the possibility of it rolling out to other areas in Sheffield and South Yorkshire.

Picture credit: Yorkshire Cricket - A range of free cricket sessions will be delivered to Sheffield, after successful schemes in Leeds and Bradford.Picture credit: Yorkshire Cricket - A range of free cricket sessions will be delivered to Sheffield, after successful schemes in Leeds and Bradford.
Picture credit: Yorkshire Cricket - A range of free cricket sessions will be delivered to Sheffield, after successful schemes in Leeds and Bradford.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sohail Raz, diverse communities manager for YCF, said: “Here at the Foundation, we are committed to helping tackling health inequalities using the power of Cricket as a hook.”

As part of the initiative, the Foundation will run a five-week indoor soft-ball cricket league in the area, while cardio cricket sessions – which combine fitness, basic cricket related exercises alongside playing fun cricket games – will be established.

Hamzah Hussain, a community development officer for YCF, who will help deliver the programmes in Sheffield, said: “I aim to tackle the major issues of health inequality by creating the spaces and opportunities to make cricket playable all year round.

“The purpose of the sessions is to encourage more people to play cricket, but also get communities involved and grow awareness of the sport.”

Hamzah Hussain, a Community Development Officer for YCF, who will help deliver the programmes in Sheffield.Hamzah Hussain, a Community Development Officer for YCF, who will help deliver the programmes in Sheffield.
Hamzah Hussain, a Community Development Officer for YCF, who will help deliver the programmes in Sheffield.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Hussain said: “We are hoping this pilot will be able to showcase to potential funders and partners the need and sustainable growth for Sheffield’s diverse communities work.”

The pilot campaign follows successful schemes that have been delivered in Leeds and Bradford, which have encouraged and focused on getting South Asian communities involved in cricket and to help tackle health inequalities.

Sohail Raz said: “Our expansion into Sheffield is just the start of the positive work we want to support in South Yorkshire.”

The Yorkshire Cricket board have previously run several projects in South Yorkshire that have been delivered to bring people together in South Yorkshire and have been doing so over the last 10 years.

However, they have identified that there is still more work to do and are pushing for a greater impact, the pilot has been launched and will run until June.