![Participant Hajarah Chaudhry, coaches Saba Nasim and Hannah Newman and former England cricketer Ebony Rainford-Brent at the awards. [Picture: Redbridge Council] <i>(Image: Archant)</i>](/resources/images/15068071.jpg?type=mds-article-962)
A girls’ cricket scheme has won an award.
Coaches Saba Nasim and Hannah Newman received the Outstanding Youth Project Award at the StreetChance Annual Achievement Awards for their work in Redbridge.
StreetChance is an inner-city initiative run by the Cricket Foundation and Barclays which aims to provide positive experiences for young people.
Saba and Hannah kickstarted their project by running taster sessions at 18 sites.
They were praised by the judges for their commitment and the way they have become role models and mentors to the girls who attend the sessions.
Saba said: “It is a great achievement for the project, us as coaches and girls’ cricket in general. Numbers weren’t great to start with but Hannah and I wouldn’t give up - we stayed there, went to more schools and kept pushing the project.”
Hannah said: “It is amazing to know that the hard work has paid off. I never thought when I came to the StreetChance Awards a year ago that I’d be back picking up an award a year later.
“It’s absolutely incredible.”
The scheme has been supported by the Essex County Cricket Board, which has delivered a coach support worker course to teach the girls how to umpire, score and coach.
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