Family Cricket: Bringing Communities Together in Newcastle
For over nine months, Cricketqube’s Family Cricket has been transforming the way Black and South Asian families engage with physical activity in Newcastle. Thanks to funding from the North East Combined Authority through the Shared Prosperity Awards from the UK Government, we have brought this exciting and culturally inclusive cricket program to families across the city.
The Journey of Family Cricket
Family Cricket was developed with the vision of making cricket accessible to entire families—children, parents, and grandparents—while promoting physical activity, social connection, and intergenerational bonding. Recognising that Black and South Asian communities are among the most inactive in the UK, we designed these sessions to break down barriers to participation, ensuring they were welcoming, culturally appropriate, and family-friendly.
Through co-development sessions led by Dr Faatihah Niyi-Odumosu, Associate Professor at the University of the West of England, we worked closely with community members to shape a program that fits their needs. We piloted sessions in Newcastle, Leeds, and Bristol, and following the success of these trials, we established a permanent base in Newcastle.
Nine Months of Impact in Newcastle
Since launching Family Cricket in Newcastle, we have delivered four weekly sessions from May to October, hosting families at Leisure United, Blakelaw and Children North East, Cowgate. As winter approached, we moved our outdoor Blakelaw sessions to Sport@Kenton at Kenton School, ensuring families could continue playing in a warm and safe environment. Due to overwhelming demand, we expanded the schedule in October, adding a fifth weekly session to accommodate even more participants.
The program has grown significantly, with 32 families regularly attending sessions across our venues. Our youngest participant is just 2.5 years old, proving that cricket truly is a game for all generations. In total, over 85 people have engaged with Family Cricket, representing diverse backgrounds from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ghana, Nigeria, Egypt, and Trinidad & Tobago.
A Space for Community, Sport, and Connection
Family Cricket community. Families come together to play, bond, share experiences, and connect with others from similar backgrounds. Through cricket, we’ve seen friendships form, intergenerational ties strengthen, and an increasing number of families embrace a more active lifestyle.
A huge part of the experience has been the food. Families have enjoyed homemade dishes from various cultures, including Tanzania, Pakistan, India, Portugal, and Angola. We arranged all these meals through Hey Food Is Ready, which has allowed home cooks from different backgrounds to share their cuisine with our community. This has further enriched the experience, providing not just a sporting but also a cultural connection through food.
With continued support, we aim to expand our reach even further, ensuring that Black and South Asian families across Newcastle have access to a welcoming, inclusive, and engaging cricketing experience.
A huge thank you to the North East Combined Authority and the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund for making this project possible. We’re excited to keep growing and bringing even more families into the world of cricket!