<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><ns2:project xmlns:ns1="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api" xmlns:ns2="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project" xmlns:ns3="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/fund" xmlns:ns4="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/person" xmlns:ns5="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project/outcome" xmlns:ns6="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/organisation" ns1:created="2026-06-03T15:52:43Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/projects/0B81F6EE-DDC0-47FB-90BE-CF6E56448665" ns1:id="0B81F6EE-DDC0-47FB-90BE-CF6E56448665"><ns1:links><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/persons/122E75FB-2BA5-4FF2-B6BF-43BCAAB88A31" ns1:rel="PM_PER"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/BEB1DDB7-FB57-47BF-B0A9-312266A5C2D3" ns1:rel="LEAD_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/BEB1DDB7-FB57-47BF-B0A9-312266A5C2D3" ns1:rel="PARTICIPANT_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:end="2024-03-31T00:00:00Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/funds/A5653171-0744-473E-B25A-AD8D24412908" ns1:rel="FUND" ns1:start="2023-03-31T23:00:00Z"/></ns1:links><ns2:identifiers><ns2:identifier ns2:type="RCUK">10058308</ns2:identifier></ns2:identifiers><ns2:title>Crossing Boundaries and Promoting Physical Activity: Empowering South Asian and Black Families with Cricket</ns2:title><ns2:status>Closed</ns2:status><ns2:grantCategory>Grant for R&amp;D</ns2:grantCategory><ns2:leadFunder>Innovate UK</ns2:leadFunder><ns2:abstractText>Cricketqube was founded in 2020 with a vision of making cricket accessible to everyone, with a special focus on ethnic minorities. We want to leverage the uplifting power of cricket through our customisable formats specifically designed for different markets.

We have developed new formats of cricket, such as Backyard Cricket (BYC) which can be played indoors and outdoors.

**Addressing Challenges**

Studies show that among children and adults, South Asians and Blacks continue to be the least physically active compared to other ethnicities for various sociocultural and economic reasons.

While many governmental and non-governmental support programmes exist for the welfare of underserved communities, they often fail to penetrate these communities for various reasons. That's why we need more conscious interventions that understand the differences within minority ethnic communities.

With South Asia known as a hotbed for cricket and nearly half of the Blacks in the UK from the Caribbean -- another cricketing stronghold -- our sessions are perfect for helping these communities be active and happy.

We are constantly trying to address the inequalities faced by the two communities by developing and delivering innovative cricket-based programmes and services. Currently, we are delivering healthy ageing sessions for the communities, working extensively with community/religious organisations, and engaging with children, families and older adults from the target communities.

**A Holistic Solution**

With this project, Cricketqube is developing Family BYC -- a format that simultaneously engages primary school-aged children, their parents and their grandparents in cricket.

The Family BYC sessions would be the perfect place for families to be active and build social connections. The format would be designed in a way that the grandparents and parents -- who often do not get an opportunity to spend quality time with the children can build intergenerational connections and fortify family relationships while becoming active and healthy.

Through the format, we hope to positively influence the physical, mental and social health of the whole families of the South Asian and Black communities.

**Bespoke Solutions**

While South Asians and Black share many similarities, including the love of cricket and sociomedical inequalities, they are very heterogenous communities. Hence, it is critical that some elements of any services that want to penetrate this market must be adapted to the sub-communities -- including along linguistic, religious, racial and geographical lines.

This positive impact on quality of life via the sessions is spread across ages and genders.</ns2:abstractText></ns2:project>