A member of parliament has endorsed a cricket club’s campaign to eliminate obstacles in sport.

Olly Glover MP travelled to Challow and Childrey Cricket Club in July to champion its mission of expanding cricket access for young people and to draw attention to the requirement for removing obstacles to sporting involvement.

During the visit, he engaged with local cricket players and gained insight into the club’s collaboration with King Alfred’s Academy, designed to present the sport to pupils who would otherwise lack the chance to participate.

Mr Glover expressed that it was wonderful to see the club’s facilities and understand more about their initiatives with the academy to motivate more students from state schools to engage with cricket. He noted that attending a state-funded establishment should not prevent anyone from getting involved in sports like cricket. He added that he would keep backing excellent local clubs as they enable people from diverse backgrounds to appreciate the sport.

Although the Department for Culture, Media and Sport allocated £35 million for grassroots cricket facilities throughout 2024, participation in cricket continues to be notably reduced for students at state-funded schools compared with those at independent institutions.

The club intends to enhance the facilities at King Alfred’s Academy, enabling the school to eventually arrange its own fixtures.

Gerald Wixey from Challow and Childrey Cricket Club remarked that they were delighted to welcome Olly on a pleasant afternoon at the club. He described him as approachable and noted that he demonstrated genuine curiosity about their various projects and volunteered assistance with several matters currently in progress.