Cricket Engages Tower Hamlets Year 6 Primary Schools
Muhammad Talha
Capital Kids Cricket, in partnership with Tower Hamlets Council’s Safer Neighbourhood team, held a series of cricket festivals in Tower Hamlets.
On 18th July 2024 the grand final was held at the MCC indoor school at Lords. This competition was also supported by Middlesex Cricket in the Community.
The key objectives of these cricket competitions were to run workshops for young people to prepare them for secondary school.
The Safer Neighbourhood Team also delivered workshops on:
– Online safety
– Gangs and violence
– Travelling safely
– Drugs and alcohol
– Healthy relationships
Two rounds of the competition were held in Victoria Park and Stepney Park. Year 6 pupils from 20 primary schools attended these competitions, and the top 6 schools advanced to the grand final at the prestigious Lord’s Cricket Ground.
Over 500 young people took part during the whole project.
Shahidul Alam Ratan, CEO of Capital Kids Cricket, said, “We are very grateful to Tower Hamlets Council for partnering with us to run this very important pilot project. It is crucial to prepare Year 6 children for the transition to secondary school, where they will face both excitement and challenges in discerning right from wrong.
“Our colleagues from the Tower Hamlets Safer Neighbourhood team and the police conducted excellent workshops that were interactive and provided valuable learning experiences for the young people.
“After this successful pilot, we hope to roll out similar programmes to other London boroughs, helping many young people choose the right pathways.”
The six schools that participated in the grand finals were: Globe Primary, Harry Gosling, St Mary’s & St Michael, William Davies, St Paul’s, and Kobi Nazrul Primary.
Alongside the games, the Tower Hamlets Safer Neighbourhood team interacted with the children and distributed flyers and gift items.
After some exciting games, Globe Primary School won the first-ever Tower Hamlets Year 6 competition, and St Mary’s & St Michael became the runner ups.
Former England player and Managing Director of Middlesex Cricket in the Community, Angus Fraser was present during the final and awarded the winner’s trophy. Among others in attendance were Shuhel Malique, the Mayor’s Advisor for Sports, Youth, and Wellbeing for Tower Hamlets, Haydn Turner, Founder Trustee of Capital Kids Cricket and Dal Babu, former Chief Superintendent – the Metropolitan Police.
School teachers who attended expressed their satisfaction with the aims and objectives of the event and shared their hopes for similar activities to be organised in the future.
