It’s raining so it must be the cricket season. But there’s one cricket competition in Birmingham that carries on regardless of the weather - the annual Rotary Kwik-Cricket event.

In 2005, the charity Rotary International celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding. and to celebrate the milestone, all Rotary Clubs were asked to create a special project to mark the anniversary.
 
The Rotary Club of Moseley & Sparkbrook already had several children-focused projects but came up with an innovative plan to involve local schools, teachers, mums and dads in sport.
 
From that concept the  Kwik-Cricket Tournament was developed and sponsored by PPDG.
 

Community chairman Hywel Williams said: “We wanted a project that encouraged enjoyable sporting competition where children might get involved in taking exercise and fresh air. So we devised Kwik-Cricket, a format that all children can play whatever their age or ability; and where just about every team now is a mixture of both boys and girls.”

 

Winners of the 2012 Kwik-Cricket Tournament developed and sponsored by PPDG were Greet Primary School.

On one of this summer’s relatively dry afternoons, 60 children graced the all-weather pitches at St John’s School in Sparkhill to compete for the Pertemps People Development Group shield.
 
We continue to sponsor the event ensuring that each child receives a certificate and a medal to mark their participation.
 
Congratulations go to Greet Primary School who edged out Conway Primary from Sparkbrook in the final to become the 2012 champions.
 
“We are a small band of volunteers by comparison meaning fund raising is limited so a sponsor is vital,” said Hywel.“It’s become more of a partnership and we all work together for the benefit of sport in the Sparkhill community.”
 
Phil Pemble, PPDG’s PR manager, said that it was important to support the school’s curriculum with such sporting activities. “It’s become quite a fixture with schools in the area,” said Phil, “and the time given to the organisation by Rotary is really appreciated by all the children and the wider community. As a business our role is to offer support to the charity so they can continue to encourage the cricketing youngsters of the future."