A new partnership has been formed between VIVID Plus, the charitable arm of housing association VIVID, and Hampshire Cricket Board, to deliver free, accessible weekly cricket sessions to 12–25-year-olds in deprived areas across Hampshire.

The project aims to engage young people in regular sport and physical activity to act as an early intervention tactic to help reduce youth crime and provide positive alternatives to anti-social behaviour (ASB).

The partners will target areas across the county that are hotspots for issues such as ASB over the coming year. Starting with Hilsea in Portsmouth, the team will be hosting initial engagement sessions at VIVID’s Howard Road Community Centre from July.

Derek Streek, Head of Communities, Standards and Partnerships at VIVID said: “Sport is a fantastic hobby for young people to enjoy, it gives them a focus whilst also reaping numerous health benefits. For young people living in deprived areas access to sport and other hobbies are limited to them for many reasons. In many cases it’s these areas that are hotspots for anti-social behaviour and youth crime issues.

We’re looking forward to working with HCB to help deliver their Urban Cricket strategy in our neighbourhoods to give young people a positive alternative to crime and to help our communities feel safe and secure.”

Hampshire Cricket Board and VIVID Plus received funding from Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, for the project as part of her drive to support victims, reduce offending or re-offending, and protect the vulnerable from crime and exploitation over the next three years.

Ben Thompson, Cricket Development Director, said: ‘’We are delighted to receive funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner.  Working with VIVID Plus, we believe we can have a positive impact on our communities and make regular sporting activities accessible to young people in deprived areas.’’

VIVID, one of the largest housing associations in the south of England, setup VIVID Plus in 2021 to help its communities thrive. VIVID Plus invests in tenancy sustainment services, to provide customers with tailored, individual support and tackles community led priorities, through supporting place shaping projects and initiatives, to help people feel proud of where they live. It’s work with Hampshire Cricket Board is just one example of where the charitable arm is helping make its communities feel safe and secure.

For more information on VIVID Plus, visit the website: https://www.vividhomes.co.uk/vivid-plus