The ACE Programme Charity

Supporting diverse talent from the grassroots to the elite.
Royal London ACE (LOGO)

African Caribbean Engagement Programme

The ACE Programme aims to ‘Support Diverse Talent from the Grassroots to the Elite’ through talent pathways, elite academies, and workforce development using the wider game to support reconnection with the Black community.

With less than 1% of people from the African Caribbean community playing cricket, The ACE Programme will engage young people, nurture their talent, and re-ignite the community’s passion for the game.

The African Caribbean community in Bristol has a strong and rich history with the game in the city. This provides exciting opportunities for the programme to discover and nurture new cricketing talent while re-engaging the community with a rich cricketing heritage.

“We see part of our work as not only to find talent but to try re-engaging a community that did have a love for cricket and still does. We want to inspire the Black community back to cricket.”

Ebony Rainford-Brent

Chair of The ACE Programme Charity

Play Cricket (SVG)

Community Development Sessions

ACE Community Hubs offer free soft ball cricket sessions to young people in their community aged between 7 – 15 years old, providing safe and fun cricket activity, where they can experience the game and learn new skills.

The ACE Community Hubs provide easier access for young people to enjoy cricket in their communities and re-engage and inspire them into the game with games and exercises that develop cricket skills, team work and confidence. There will be the opportunity to have cricket festivals, friendly competition and holiday camps through the school holidays.

ACE Programme Cricketer
Royal London ACE Bristol

ACE Academy

Those players who have the potential and drive to take their playing further, they will have the opportunity to attend ACE Academy trials.

Players attend the ACE Academy based on selection at their trials. The sessions will have cricket drills designed to develop all skills across the game, batting, bowling, fielding, with the intention of players having a more professional mind set towards the game.

“We’re really excited to have The ACE Programme expanding to Bristol, it will be hugely beneficial to the local cricketing community.”

“Together we can provide more opportunities for young Black cricketers and help make cricket even more appealing and accessible for a wide range of people in Bristol and reflect the views and values of the communities we serves”

Steve Silk

CEO, Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation

Weekly Sessions

Trinity Academy, Romney Avenue, Lockleaze, Bristol, BS7 9BY

Wednesdays 5.30pm – 6.45pm

City Academy Bristol, Russell Town Avenue, Easton, Bristol, BS5 9JH

Fridays 6pm – 7:30pm

Academy Hub

Bristol County Ground Sports Hall, Nevil Road, Bristol, BS7 9EJ
Saturdays 6.30pm – 8.30pm

Theo Gordon / ACE Development Officer

Theo is our first ACE Development Officer. ‘ACE’ stands for African Caribbean Engagement; Bristol have been fortunate to be only the third city in the country after London and Birmingham to have the ACE project in its city.

Theo’s role is to set up a school delivery programmes, creating local cricket development hubs and heading up or ACE academy scholarship programme. We will achieve all of this by working within the local community and engaging with children from all backgrounds and ethnicity.

ACE will provide children access to free cricket sessions as well as provide educational workshops, training, and job opportunities to the African Caribbean community.

Theo Gordon / ACE Development Officer
Email
07939 143528