Chance to Shine

In October 2007, Booz & Company received the Business in the Community of the Year award for its support of Chance to Shine.

The Cricket Foundation campaign Chance to Shine, supported by Brit Insurance, is the U.K.’s largest grassroots sporting initiative. It is a £50million campaign that strives to reintroduce sustainable, competitive cricket programmes back into one third of the state schools in England and Wales. The initiative aims to reach two million children by 2015 and to establish regular coaching and competitive cricket in at least 5,200 primary and 1,500 secondary schools.

Chance to Shine is delivered through county cricket boards, local cricket clubs and other external agencies such as School Sports Partnerships and Local Authorities to deliver high quality coaching and competition programmes.

Involvement in the sport will not only build skills in athletics, but also enable children to strengthen their skills in leadership, team building, and strategy through participation in the sport.

345,356children participated in the schools programme, 45% of whom were girls and 5% with special educational needs 2,511 primary schools, 133 middle schools, 554 secondary schools, and 156 special schools were involved in the programme Sport coaches delivered 71,699 hours of coaching through 52,831 curriculum and extra-curricular sessions, of which 74% were during curriculum time 26,977 boys and girls have migrated from schools to clubs during the first four years, representing an overall programme conversion rate of 3%

“Chance to shine is bringing together our diverse communities and helping young people develop skills and attitudes they never knew they had,” said Lord Andrew Turnbull, senior adviser to Booz & Company.

Booz & Company staff members are captaining the Chance to shine Corporate Supporters Club and coordinating activities with schools in central London’s Islington region.

“We are donating funds and introducing the charity to our clients,” said partner Richard Verity. “We’re also helping the organisation formulate its fundraising strategy and facilitate its annual meeting.”

In addition, Booz & Company has fostered a close relationship with Highbury Grove, a Chance to Shine school. The firm run a number of joint initiatives with the school to support the students. Some of the recent activities have included, football matches, presentation skills workshops, UCAS form coaching, consulting challenges as well as visits to universities. “Booz & Company has really made a difference to the sporting charity and to a school behind the charity. We defined the Chance to Shine strategy and the initiative has mobilised all levels at Booz & Company," said Richard Verity.