Local young people benefit from Pinnacle's team work with Surrey Cricket

This summer, hundreds of young people in South London will benefit from after-school and holiday cricket clubs, thanks to the winning partnership between Pinnacle and Surrey County Cricket Club.

The Pinnacle project, which was officially launched in June 2008, is a three-year project designed to give young people in Lambeth and Wandsworth the chance to learn new skills, engage in healthy activities and enjoy the game of cricket.

More than 1,100 young people have already taken part in the project, which has seen the development of a cricket clubs in Wyck Gardens (Brixton). Two further clubs will open in Norwood Park (West Norwood) and Clapham Common by the end of 2009.

Jonathan Batty, Surrey wicket keeper and senior batsman, said: “The Pinnacle project is crucial for the local community, as it gives young people the ideal opportunity to get a taste for sport, and especially cricket. It would be brilliant if someone from the local area came through the Surrey ranks, and the Pinnacle project is an essential part of achieving this goal.”

Laurie Evans, Surrey Community Ambassador and opening batsman, added: “Without the Pinnacle project, thousands of children and young people from the local area would not be able to play cricket in a structured, safe environment. As Community Ambassador for Surrey Cricket, I am passionate about helping to increase participation in the sport, especially in neighbourhoods close to the Brit Oval. Thanks must go to Pinnacle, as without them this project would have never got off the ground and hundreds of children would never know its’ benefits.”

Andy Cook, Pinnacle’s Business Development Director, said: "We are thrilled that this project is progressing so successfully and that hundreds of young people in Lambeth are benefitting from the experience. At Pinnacle, we continually strive to give back to the communities in which we work, and are delighted to be involved in this."