Metro Bank has signed up as a long-term partner to the England and Wales Cricket Board designed to help deliver transformational growth to women’s and girls’ cricket across England and Wales.
Through the partnership, Metro Bank – which has branches in Sheffield and Bradford – will have a presence across the international, domestic and recreational game.
It will support programmes designed to make cricket more inclusive, bring more women and girls into the game and retain those who are already in it. The Fund is made up of equal contributions from the ECB and Metro Bank who will co-develop programmes which will power the future of women’s and girls’ cricket, accelerating its progress towards becoming a more gender-balanced sport.
Danielle Lee, Director of Brand and Marketing at Metro Bank (left in the picture): “This is a real partnership with purpose built on Metro Bank’s commitments to local communities and diversity and inclusion. Sport acts as a catalyst, helping to increase confidence and social skills, and together with the ECB we will use the Fund to empower more women and girls to reach their full potential in cricket and beyond. We will do this by changing perceptions and providing women and girls with the means to overcome the obstacles to maximise their participation in this great sport. This partnership will help to deliver a lasting legacy for women’s and girls’ cricket.”
Clare Connor, ECB Deputy Chief Executive Officer and MDA of England Women, said: “Metro Bank share our passion, determination and energy to break down barriers and build on the huge progress we’ve made in women’s and girls’ cricket in recent years. We’re thrilled to welcome them on aboard as our first ever champion partner of women’s and girls’ cricket ahead of the highly anticipated Metro Bank Women’s Ashes Series and are excited by the potential of what this partnership can achieve.
“Whilst we have seen a period of huge growth and increased profile across the women’s game, we know there is still much more to do to make our sport truly gender balanced. By working together with partners such as Metro Bank who share our ambition for the sport, I am confident we will make our sport more inclusive and inspire many more girls from all backgrounds to pick up a bat and ball.”
