The ECB Cricket Factory Roadshow team were pleased to take part in Hackney’s celebration of Black History Month 2012 as part of a day of cricket inspired events in Dalston, London.
Dalston square, outside of the Dalston CLR James Library, was the venue for a special day of cricket-inspirted events on the 29th September. The ECB Cricket Factory Roadshow enjoyed the welcome sunshine in the square with the fantastic local community who turned up to play cricket, enjoy the steel band and generally soak up the atmosphere. Throughout the day adults and children alike spent time trying to better themselves, with many staying in the square for most of the day.
We were assisted by 3 fantastic coaches provided by Middlesex and really appreciated their skills and experience as they coached the participants and helped them improve their scores on the rig.
In addition, Hackney Council’s Ladi Ajayi was on hand throughout the day, speaking with the local community, many of whom had visited his cricket activities in the square every Saturday for the last few weeks.
Hackney have recently renovated and re-opened the Dalston CLR James Library and have a permanent exhibition in honour of the writer who’s seminal work ‘Beyond a Boundary’ is considered as one of the finest every written on cricket. For the Trinidad born writer James, cricket was not just an entertainment and relic of empire, but also a means of struggle for independence and national pride for the West Indies.
The library was also hosting a special exhibition about the involvement of black people in cricket in Hackney and beyond. The exhibition focuses on the experiences of nine local cricketers and presents their reflections upon the game both in Hackney and in the West Indies and is well worth a look if you’re in the area.
