COMMUNITIES Minister Lord Bourne visited Bradford's Breaking Boundaries programme today.

He watched a friendly cricket match before visiting the project at Park Avenue Cricket Ground, Canterbury Avenue. 

Breaking Boundaries is funded by Spirit of 2012, the London Olympics legacy fund, and aims to bring together diverse ethnic and faith communities, fostering mutual respect through a shared love of cricket. 

It's delivered jointly by Youth Sport Trust and Sporting Equals and also runs in Birmingham, Slough, Manchester and Barking and Dagenham.

“We designed Breaking Boundaries – a £1.8 million, three-year project (2018-2021) – to bring together young people, families and communities through regular engagement in cricket: either playing, spectating or volunteering,” said Ruth Hollis, Spirit’s Director of Policy and Impact.

She added: “To date, we’ve trained around 150 community ‘Champions’ aged 14-25 who are leading the project in their locations and connecting other young people – and their families – to the game of cricket, and to each other.”

Little Horton and Bowling & Barkerend have been identified by Bradford Council and the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation as key wards in which to deliver the project.

Lord Bourne met Bradford's cohort of young volunteers and some of the Breaking Boundaries team, who put on a special 'Tea20' Great Get Together, which was held to mark the third anniversary of the death of MP Jo Cox.