MORRISONS has teamed up with Yorkshire Cricket Club to deliver more than 12,000 meals to needy children in the county, including Bradford, during the summer holidays.

The Yorkshire Cricket Foundation joined forces with the Bradford-based supermarket chain this summer to run Crick-EAT – an initiative which used the power of sport to provide nutritious meals to children and families from disadvantaged backgrounds across West Yorkshire.

The vital scheme - which has also provided nearly 1,000 hours of cricket fun to help improve the wellbeing and health of some of the region’s most disadvantaged families – finishes today.

With many children coming from low-income households across the region, holiday hunger is a major issue for families who may not have access to free school meals throughout the summer months.

But across West Yorkshire 12 community hubs have been providing thousands of children a free nutritious lunch for six weeks as part of the Crick-Eat partnership as well as hours of engaging and fun cricket coaching from professionally trained coaches.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Bradford-born cricket star Adil Rashid. Picture: Ray Spencer Bradford-born cricket star Adil Rashid. Picture: Ray Spencer

Famous faces including Bradford-born Yorkshire and England cricket star, Adil Rashid, witnessed the meals in full swing and helped during visits to community hubs.

In Bradford, Park Avenue, the Sutton Community Centre, the Rockwell Centre and the Beap Community Partnership were chosen venues.

To mark the final week of the inspiring programme, Bradford East’s MP Imran Hussain also visited a community hub in his constituency – the Karmand Community Centre, Barkerend Road, Bradford.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Bradford East’s MP Imran Hussain also visited a community hub in his local constituency – the Karmand Community Centre Bradford East’s MP Imran Hussain also visited a community hub in his local constituency – the Karmand Community Centre

Morrisons Community Champions have been working with their local venue to deliver the packed lunches including snacks and refreshments.

As well as supplying lunches Morrisons has teamed up with Colgate Palmolive to provide 10,000 toothbrushes and 10,000 toothpastes to support dental hygiene among children.

Elland Cricket Club, in Calderdale, Liversedge Cricket Club in Kirklees and King James Fernside, in Huddersfield, and Keighley Cricket Club were also hubs.

Rebecca Singleton, customer & community director at Morrisons, said: "No child should ever go hungry and so we’re proud to be supporting Crick-EAT and the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation in this important partnership, bringing children together for a summer of good food, cricket and fun."

The initiative was expanded to the venues this summer following a successful pilot earlier this year.

 

Beth Cook, the health and wellbeing manager for the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation, said: “As a foundation, we are committed to supporting those who most need it in Yorkshire’s communities.

“Our summer delivery has been a huge success, with many children who were at risk of going hungry during the holidays now fed and watered, with two hours of physical activity daily also.”

Ms Cook added: “With the average family just one month away from needing financial support, programmes like Crick-EAT are vital to supporting a community’s physical and financial health.

“Food poverty will not end at the end of this summer, so it is essential we are able to continue the delivery of Crick-EAT to continue supporting those who need it most.”

Elsewhere, Leeds Mayor, Councillor Asghar Khan, who arrived in Leeds from India when he was an 11-year-old boy, visited one of the busiest hubs this summer – the Bilal Sports Centre, in Harehills, this week.

Having spent his early years living in the Mirpur district of Kashmir, Coun Khan moved to Beeston in 1980 when he was 11 to join his father, who had found work in an Armley foundry.

He attended Cross Flats Park Primary School and Cockburn High School, before embarking on a career as a postman, which has lasted 30 years.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Leeds North West MP Alex Sobel, saw the project first hand at Brudenell Primary School in Leeds, with the MP taking part in a game of cricket with a group of youngsters.

For the future Mr Sobel stressed the need to expand the Crick-EAT programme across the region during school holidays.

Hovingham Primary School, and Brudenell Primary School, in Harehills, were community hub venues.

For more information about the project, email beth.cook@yorkshirecricketfoundation.com