Darren Bicknell: castles, countryside, and table cricket
Many might visit Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire for its picturesque towers and turrets, its gardens, history, or food and drink, all contributing towards a peaceful day away from the ordinary hustle and bustle.
But one of the groups busily working away at the castle is the Belvoir Cricket and Countryside Trust (BCC Trust), who deliver opportunities for children in the surrounding counties to participate in cricket, basketball, and outdoor activities such as orienteering.
Their fun, engaging, and active sessions are a contrast to the tranquil surroundings, yet go hand-in-hand with the local countryside in creating an environment that fosters a style of learning that’s different from the classroom.
The charity is led by its Chief Executive, Darren Bicknell, who knows all too well the power of sport and exercise having been a professional cricketer for 20 years, playing for Surrey and Nottinghamshire before retiring in 2006.
Almost as soon as he had hung up his whites, Darren was speaking with local entrepreneur Phil O’Brien. Together, they founded a new charity that has flourished through the last 15 years.
“We spoke and we had some ideas around participation, children, and getting people involved in sport in the countryside and decided to give it a go,” reflected Darren.
“Phil was very generous and put some money in during our first year to help fund the charity; we ran some pilot projects which went really well, and we recruited trustees from various different backgrounds.
“Those pilot projects have become mainstream programmes and we’ve grown our team. We have more than 57 volunteers who we lean on to teach cricket, deliver the countryside days, and help us in various different ways.
“We are currently building a new sports pavilion, and we want to build a sports hall which will allow us to work all year round and develop our numbers even more. We are very proud of what we do and we hope we can continue to grow.”
There are five main programmes that the BCC Trust runs, one of which works particularly with special needs schools. The trust teams up with Lord’s Taverners and county cricket clubs in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, and Lincolnshire to deliver table cricket.
Are you wondering how table cricket is possible? You aren’t alone, but you’ll almost certainly want to have a go after Darren’s explanation.
“Table cricket was designed by a gentleman who lives in Nottingham, and predominantly for children who are wheelchair-bound. It offers them the fun and skills of cricket but in an environment where they could be on a level playing field with everyone else.
“The game itself is played on a table tennis table. There are walls around the table and at one end there is a small gap where you have a bowling ramp. The bowler pushes the ball down the ramp towards the open-ended side of the table, where there is someone with a small cricket bat who hits the ball to various zones on the table.
“The zones they hit indicate whether they score runs, are fielded, or are called out – which means you lose five points but can still return to the game. There are lots of things related to cricket, like having six balls in the over, being bowled out, and LBW [leg before wicket] could be called if the ball hits the batter’s hand.
“It was designed so that everyone could have a go, and I as an able-bodied person I sometimes play it. It gives everybody a great, equal chance.”
While table cricket is closely related to one of the UK’s most popular sports, the inclusive environment of table cricket sessions also provides inspiration for other ways to engage children.
“All the sessions involve trying to assess the abilities of the children; then we have a range of games that we can introduce to them so they can learn some skills.
“It could be as simple as practicing the timing to hit the ball, or as detailed as hitting the ball in certain areas of the court to hit the maximum amount of points.
“Following on from that, we can allow them to play matches against each other and add a competitive element. We like to have that bit of fun and competition and sometimes you can have some banter among the children – something that we can take for granted but is very special for them.
“I’ve been into schools numerous times and sometimes I’d come out thinking I haven’t done very much, I haven’t achieved anything, I haven’t taught them a new skill. Sometimes it’s not about that; me as a new face in school can be really valuable to some children.
“Again, it comes down to the understanding of the teachers and the coaches as to what is achievable on the day, and ensuring that the session is at a level that’s really going to engage them.”
The BCC Trust predominantly hit the road to deliver table cricket in schools in the winter, but in the summer, the children are invited to Belvoir Castle to engage in a range of outdoor activities to stimulate learning.
“We are very lucky that we’ve always been able to introduce children to the countryside because that’s where we are based.
“When a school comes to visit, we’ll talk to the teachers when they arrive about the children they have. More and more schools are bringing children on the SEND register, and some that are finding things very hard in the classroom.
“Nine times out of 10, we get to the end of the day and I ask the teachers, ‘which children were you referring to?’ While they might struggle in a school environment, getting them outside in the countryside and doing something that’s a bit out-of-the-ordinary in a beautiful setting engages them in a different way.
“They can see the shepherd and his dogs, we might fly the birds of prey, play outdoor cricket, or do some basic orienteering through working with a map to try and find a hidden flag.
“It’s about finding lots of different ways and opportunities to engage with them, and whatever is appropriate for that group of children, we’ll have a go.”
In the past 15 years, the BCC Trust has positively impacted the lives of many children in the Midlands who are now flourishing in other walks of life.
“We had one autistic lad come along when we first started our evening cricket sessions; he came with his dad who was a keen cricketer.
“He joined in and initially he struggled, but gradually over time the other children really took to him. He was a really nice kid and he stayed with us for about three years until he became too old for our sessions.
“Now, around a decade later, he’s in employment, quite a confident guy, and still plays cricket with his dad. It’s a lovely story, and shows that giving kids opportunities like this really makes a difference to their lives.”
