Cricket / News
Safe space for Afghan refugees at Gloucestershire Cricket
A group of recently resettled Afghan refugees have been welcomed into a space of friendship and camaraderie at Gloucestershire Cricket to create a “home away from home”.
Each Wednesday afternoon, a group of 12 to 20 young people, nearly all Afghan refugees, have been attending the club’s high-performance indoor cricket centre at the Seat Unique Stadium in Ashley Down for two hour sessions.
The partnership between City of Bristol College and Gloucestershire sees the young cricket fans in their element as they receive coaching sessions from playmakers.
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“The noticeable excitement and enthusiasm on the students’ faces when they know it’s cricket day has been a joy to see,” said Kirsty Cross, designated lead for care and care leavers at City of Bristol College.
The sessions are taught by some of Gloucestershire’s first team players and have become popular with young Afghan students who have mastered new skills in the process
These free sessions, which started in January, are set to offer the newly-settled young people the opportunity to master new skills, form friendships while receiving mentoring from Gloucestershire’s first-team players.
Led by Gloucestershire’s head of community, Pete Lamb, the programme has received support from players such as Miles Hammond, Marchant de Lange, Graeme van Buuren and David Payne – who this season have helped the club qualify for the quarter-finals of the Vitality T20 Blast.
These players have enjoyed sharing their expertise and experience, helping the participants improve their cricket skills.
For many people in Afghanistan, cricket is not just a sport but a strand of its cultural identity. Recently, they have made giant strides in international cricket, most notably when they stunned Australia in the T20 World Cup.
The initiative in Bristol aims to create an inspiring and encouraging environment, enhancing the students’ enjoyment of college and potentially leading to better academic outcomes.
“They have become a team, both supportive and caring of each other and this camaraderie has extended into the college,” said Cross.
Having conducted around 20 weekly cricket sessions so far, the club hopes to expand the partnership by offering academic lessons at the Seat Unique Stadium. This initiative aims to provide a different and enriching learning experience for the students.
A group of recently resettled Afghan refugees have been given a safe space to play cricket at Gloucestershire ?
In partnership with City of Bristol College, up to 20 young people have been attending weekly cricket coaching sessions with Glos players throughout 2024 ?
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— Gloucestershire Cricket (@Gloscricket) June 10, 2024
Lamb added: “Supporting these young people by giving them the chance to play cricket and assisting with their learning needs has been incredibly rewarding.
“The stability of weekly cricket sessions has been extremely valuable to them, and we will continue to support the City of Bristol College with a view to expanding the programme.”
Hammond, opening batsman and regular coach in the programme, said: “Seeing the enjoyment and sense of community the guys gained from these sessions has been awesome.
“For young people who have been through so much, having a place to play cricket and connect with others is something to be really proud of.”
All photos: Gloucestershire Cricket
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