Delivery of the ACE Programme in Nottingham has expanded into more areas of the city, , leading to a significant increase in the number of young people engaged in cricket, most for the very first time.
The Programme was established in Nottingham in 2022, with the aim of supporting diverse talent from the grassroots to the elite, focusing on those from African and Caribbean backgrounds.
Interest has now swelled to such an extent that the city’s first ACE inter-schools tournament was held in October, with seven schools entering the competition and ten being engaged across the winter.
The ACE Community Hub at Brendon Lawrence Sports Centre in St. Ann’s, meanwhile, now boasts 80 registered participants.
“We’re delighted with the progress we’re seeing in a relatively short space of time with the ACE Programme across the city,” said Patrick Gada, Nottinghamshire’s ACE Development Officer.
“We’ve placed a real focus on making sure there’s a pathway for players to progress through – from our work in schools to the East Midlands ACE Development Academy, where players can hone their skills further and enjoy a more competitive environment.
“The programme means that some of the East Midlands’ brightest prospects will have increased opportunities to sharpen their skills, to hopefully allow them to reach a level where they are consistently capable of representing their cricket clubs, counties or the ACE National Academy.”
The recent success follows the establishment of the ACE Programme’s East Midlands Development Academy in early 2025, which quickly grew to be the best-attended Academy of its kind in the country.
Summer 2025, meanwhile, saw the start of the ACE Programme summer camps in West Bridgford, where participants benefitted from one-to-one coaching focussing on specific skills.
At a national level, the programme has already allowed cricketers to begin the pursuit of professional careers, with Amy Wheeler earning an ACE-Programme supported contract with The Blaze in 2024, and signing a subsequent extension with the club in summer 2025.