Yorkshire Cricket Board

The Yorkshire Cricket Board Partners with Rugby League Cares to Deliver Movember’s Ahead of The Game Project

The Yorkshire Cricket Board (YCB) is proud to announce their partnership with Rugby League Cares, who are the implementation partners for the registered charity Movember, to deliver Movember’s Ahead of the Game programme. This initiative focuses on improving young people’s mental health through sport and marks a significant milestone as YCB becomes the first cricket organisation to receive funding for the programme.

The project will see a £50,000 investment over the next two and a half years, specifically targeting the Bradford area. It aligns seamlessly with YCB's existing community programmes, including Cricket Cities, Street and others, further strengthening our commitment to grassroots cricket and mental well-being.

The Movember Ahead of the Game initiative has already begun with a highly successful ‘Train the Trainer’ residential course held at Weetwood Hall in Leeds from 10th to 12th February 2025. The course received outstanding feedback from participants, highlighting the programme's value in equipping coaches with the skills to address mental health challenges within their communities.
One attendee shared: “The training was superb, really insightful and well delivered. Everyone was so friendly and made us feel really welcome. This will be a huge benefit to the young people of Bradford and hopefully beyond. I have learned so much in the three days and can’t wait to get started.”

Paul Cummins, Yorkshire Cricket Board, commented: “ We are really pleased and excited to be commissioned by Rugby League Cares and Movember to deliver the Movember Ahead of the Game programme in Bradford. To be the first cricket organisation in England to be delivering the programme is fantastic, and really shows that cricket is a tool that can help deliver wider societal outcomes and help to change lives.”

Emma Goldsmith, Rugby League Cares Director of Community, added: “We are excited to partner with YCB to deliver Movember’s Ahead of the Game to young people and families across Bradford. We all recognise that sometimes life can be hard, and this programme will support local families to learn how to tackle adversity, better negotiate challenges and how to be there for those around them. I’m really excited to see it progress.”

This initiative marks a major step forward in integrating mental health support within cricket, reinforcing the role of sport in promoting resilience and well-being. The YCB looks forward to seeing the impact of Ahead of the Game on young cricketers in Yorkshire.