REDDITCH town centre is set to light up in all its glamour as Street Cricket arrives this summer.
Redditch Street Sixes, organised by Worcestershire Cricket Board Ltd (WCBL) in collaboration with West Mercia Police – Redditch, will be held on August 21 at Heart of Worcestershire College – Redditch Car Park opposite the Police station.
The competition is open to kids aged 8 to 16 with a team expected to consist of six to eight players.
Redditch Town Centre Partnership are proudly sponsoring aspects of the event while Worcestershire Ambassadors, West Mercia Police, Heart of Worcestershire College and Redditch borough council Sports Team are co-sponsors with Redditch United FC also adding their support.
The event will feature 8 to 12 year-olds playing from 10am to 1pm with the 13 to 16 year-olds battling it out from 2pm to 5pm.
WCBL started the Wicketz programme funded by Lord’s Taverners last November and as one of the hubs, Redditch attracted over 20 youngsters with numbers surging during the summer.
The programme was also assisted by money generated through Worcestershire Street Sixes, a 24 team corporate tournament in Worcester.
Inspector Mark Chappell from West Mercia Police who has been part of the planning process and implementing the Redditch hub alongside Harry Kitchen, Wicketz development officer-WCBL, said: “The inspiration came from the street cricket competition in Worcester.
“We wanted to widen the Wicketz experience and we saw this as a great vehicle to work with children in Redditch during the summer holidays.”
Mr Kitchen added: ”We are hoping this will be a yearly event to celebrate Wicketz and cricket in Redditch.”
There’ll be representatives from various authorities including Redditch Utd manager Darren Byfield, and it is hoped to have a celebrity guest for the day too.
Free lunch will be available on the day and youth groups and sport clubs are invited to participate.
Other activities will include a penalty shootout and information stalls.
To enter a team, contact Harry Kitchen at [email protected] or 07850 603939.
