Model for Sport for Life International Centre, Birmingham © Sport Legacy Foundation 2021
Vital to all young people and their communities are safe places to participate both in academic learning and physical activities. Such spaces can sometimes be few and far between but SLF ensures that these are provided and that each one it chooses suits its coaching programmes, undergoes proper risk assessments and that all those working with young people understand safeguarding and undergo DBS Enhanced Checks.
In Birmingham, SLF is responding to community demand by undertaking the development of a new indoor cricket and tennis centre situated on 12 acres of existing outdoor cricket and football facilities from 2025.
The Sport for Life International Centre, launched at an event featuring England cricketer Moeen Ali and SLF Chair Lord Richard Newby OBE, is working closely with The Lawn Tennis Association, the England & Wales Cricket Board, the Football Foundation, Birmingham County F.A. and Birmingham City Council. Plans are to open the new centre by 2030.
Sport for Life Barbados Projects
Graduation day at Sport for Life Barbados
Sport for Life Barbados (SfLB) is the legacy programme of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007. It was founded by Lord Richard Newby OBE and CEO Jane Power working with the late Stephen Alleyne, the ICC World Cup Director responsible for legacy, to increase the World Cup’s overall impact.
Under its Chair Brenda Pope, Partner Advisory at KPMG, Sport for Life Barbados was officially adopted by the Barbados Cricket Association in 2009 and is based at the Stephen Alleyne Sport for Life Learning Centre at Barbados’ famous test cricket ground Kensington Oval and at the National Sports Centre at Blenheim.
SfLB’s main areas of focus are to:
- target under-achieving children aged 10-15 years old from disadvantaged backgrounds
- base them at the national test cricket ground to inspire them to acquire basic life skills plus: English, mathematics, IT, healthy lifestyle training, cricket
- partner Barbados education, sport and corporate organisations plus volunteers to help Sport for Life Barbados achieve its targets
- demonstrate the power of cricket to inspire young people to change their lives and achieve their ambitions
Left: Daren Sammy, Captain West Indies Cricket Team. Centre and right: England Cricket Team visits Stephen Alleyne Sport for Life Barbados Learning Centre
Since 2009, Sport for Life Barbados has helped more than 1,500 children and young people in Barbados to stay in school, achieve academic skills and play cricket. Its Programme Director is Kathy Harper-Hall.
Each Saturday throughout the academic year, SfLB young people and volunteers participate in an all day programme of activity including cricket, IT, numeracy, literacy special activities and life skills.
Sport for Life Barbados graduate writes testimonial on his experience
SfLB is grateful to Ministry of Youth, Sports & Community Empowerment, the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust, the British High Commission and the Barbados Cricket Association for their support, alongside UK sponsors St Hugh’s Prep School, Oxfordshire for their amazing annual fundraising and donations, and Chickmont Foods for providing lunches.
In the West Indies, Sport for Life International has been the official legacy partner for the ICC World Twenty20 in 2010 and official charity to the England Cricket Tours in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2022 including a special feature on Commonwealth Day 14th March.
It has benefitted from support from The England & Wales Cricket Board, The England Cricket Team, Cricket West Indies and The West Indies Cricket Team during their tour of England in 2012.