Strategy 2020-2024
Gloucestershire Cricket is the combination of the Gloucestershire Cricket Board (GCB) and Gloucestershire County Cricket Club (GCCC). Together we a have responsibility for the county of Gloucestershire and the City of Bristol as well as a much wider remit in delivering International cricket and representing the world game.
Over the last decade both organisations have been through a transformation which now places them as leaders within cricket. The GCB have consistently been recognised as one of the leading County Cricket Boards, winning the “Cricket Board of the Year” award at the 2017 Chance to Shine Awards. The GCB has also been a stand-out success in the delivery of ECB National Programmes. In 2018 GCB were the only county to reach 100% of the All Stars target as set by the ECB and followed this up with a further increase in 2019. In Women and Girls cricket the GCB now have 25% of all clubs providing a Women and/or Girls offering which ensures a very robust platform for the Women and Girls game. This has come as a consequence of a decade-long organisational culture that has recognised the importance of the female game.
Success in National Programmes comes as a result of ten years of dedicated work in building strong relationships with the County’s 165 Primary Affiliated Clubs. The GCB recognises clubs and their volunteers are the lifeblood of the game and without them our game will struggle. Dedicated Officer support enables close working relationships to ensure that when opportunities or programmes are created, the clubs of Gloucestershire are very much in a position to accept the opportunity. GCCC has also excelled having overseen, in recent years, a major redevelopment of the Bristol County Ground, a specific focus on player, staff and community welfare and a concentrated effort to ensure financial and environmental sustainability. The Bristol County Ground was one of only two venues to host the group stages of both the Men’s and Women’s World Cups and in the period 2017-2019 hosted more International cricket than any other venue in the country. The ECB and ICC have consistently looked to Bristol as a venue for additional bilateral matches such as England v Ireland in 2017 and Ireland v Bangladesh in 2020.
Bristol and Gloucestershire represent a unique property in cricket, with its combination of rural communities and large urban conurbations. The GCB’s official partnership with the Wiltshire Cricket Board also ensures a continued close relationship with and access to its nearest neighbours.
The cities of Bristol and Gloucester are very urban and diverse with significant and growing BAME communities. Bristol is growing faster than any other City in the country outside of London (50% faster than the national average) and it has a “young” population with 30% aged 20-34 compared to only 20% nationally (Office of National Statistics). It is richly and proudly diverse with 92 first languages spoken. Gloucestershire cricket has listened to and developed local community programmes of their own making; sometimes in conjunction with key partners such as Chance to Shine and the Lord’s Taverners. These urban communities represent a real and significant opportunity for the game of cricket to grow and give back to wider society.
Quite simply, our ambition at Gloucestershire Cricket is to reflect the views and values of the communities we serve. By holding a mirror to them we can genuinely build an inspiring and exciting opportunity for the game of cricket in our region and also, we believe, a blueprint for the game going forwards.


ECB Priority | Activities/Objectives |
---|---|
1.1 | To develop an Internationally recognised stadia capable of delivering events of the highest quality |
1.1 | The Bristol County Ground will be the most environmentally considerate and sustainable cricket venue in the country |
1.1 | Invest in all ‘Gloucestershire Cricket Stadia’ (Inclusive of the Bristol County Ground, Cheltenham College and Rockhampton) to improve financial sustainability |
3.2 | Radically overhaul and lead the country in digital creativity via a new digital infrastructure and strategy |
1.1 | Significantly improve family focused facilities inclusive of changing rooms, toilet facilities and catering options |
1.1 | To enhance the stadia to provide the best possible customer experience for any visitor to the ground |
1.6 | To adhere to all ECB guidelines on International and Men’s Hundred stadia |

ECB Priority | Activities/Objectives |
---|---|
3 | Use cricket as a tool to deliver social impact programmes |
6 | To ensure that at all times we reflect the views and values of our local communities |
3 | Actively engage with diverse communities that represent the true make-up of the region we represent |
3 | To consult regularly with our local communities and stakeholders |
6 | Improve our catering options to better reflect what our local communities want |
6 | To support a minimum of three local charities per year |
3 | To support key stakeholder initiatives (e.g. Bristol City Council) in tackling City/Region-wide challenges |
3 | Create a new brand that works for all supporters and partners |

ECB Priority | Activities/Objectives |
---|---|
3.4 | Increase the number of opportunities to participate in cricket in Bristol |
3.4 | Increase the number of opportunities to participate in cricket in Gloucester |
3 | Develop a strategy for Bristol and Gloucester which actively engages with diverse communities |
3 | “Own” Bristol with a specific strategy that works for all stakeholders |
3.4 | Employ an Urban Development Officer |
3 | Improve and further develop community engagement programmes which both use cricket and local cricket assets to improve the lives and well-being of many in urban communities |
3 | Connect and engage with more partners/organisations to deliver cricket and community programmes |
3.3 | Influence key partners to invest in urban facilities |
3 | Work with Bristol and Gloucester City Councils to achieve sport and physical activity objectives |

ECB Priority | Activities/Objectives |
---|---|
1 | Identify ‘clubs at risk’ and apportion dedicated support |
1 | Retain and grow the number of teams and clubs actively offering cricket |
1.3 | Produce a facility strategy for the recreational game |
1 | Ensure the league cricket offer is relevant and appropriate |
4.3 | Improve standards of safeguarding across Gloucestershire Clubs |
5.1 | Develop and support family-friendly and female-friendly facilities |
5.1 | Work with clubs to ensure equal opportunities - influence a cultural shift |
6.1 | Produce a volunteer strategy |
6 | Say ‘Thank You’ more often - Increase in reward and recognition events |
6.3 | Produce an Officials Strategy |
6.3 | Increase the number of active coaches working across Gloucestershire |
6.1 | Increase the number of courses that volunteers are able to access |
6.1 | Increase the number of volunteers that attend GCB courses |
1.3 | Provide Club Development support to create more ‘ready to invest in’ clubs |

ECB Priority | Activities/Objectives |
---|---|
3 | Provide an offer with alternative formats to grow participation |
2.5/3.1 | Influence cricket offer to align to National Programmes and formats |
4.1 | Double participation in Primary Schools |
4.1 | Increase the number of schools receiving ‘full’ programmes |
4 | Increase the number of clubs with a junior section |
1 | Develop retention strategies for identified problem age groups |
3 | Put bats and balls in to more children’s hands in non-traditional environments |
4 | Produce a strategy to grow participation and competition in secondary schools |
5.1 | Increase the number of clubs with girls and / or women’s sections |
5.4 | Deliver a schools secondary programme linked directly to women and girl’s clubs |
4.2 | Increase the number of All Stars centres |
4.2 | Annually grow Dynamos centres |
4.2/5.1 | Annually grow girls-only Dynamos centres |
6.4 | Increase participation in disability cricket |

ECB Priority | Activities/Objectives |
---|---|
2 | Ensure all potentially elite players are treated and developed equally regardless of background, gender or ability |
2 | To be the leading County Cricket Club in terms of player welfare, support and ‘off-field’ development |
2 | To win trophies and to be a top eight team in all formats of men’s cricket |
2 | To be a top four team in the new regional Women and Girls structure |
2.2 | To develop more England players across all teams and to retain a focus on English qualified players |
2.4 | Increase the number of connections between the professional and recreational games |
2.3 | Create a platform that enables positive interaction between relevant stakeholders |
5.3 | Increase investment in Girls County Age Group cricket |
6.4 | Sustain current disability teams and grow new teams |
2.4 | To create role models who are capable of inspiring people both on and off the pitch |
2.3 | To ensure that players and coaches are provided with the best tools, equipment and facilities in order to develop and progress to their full potential |

ECB Priority | Activities/Objectives |
---|---|
1 | To improve all forms of self-generated commercial revenue relating to cricket (e.g. membership, ticket sales, hospitality, ground catering, retail and sponsorship) |
1 | Increase investment in to the recreational game from organisations ‘outside of cricket’ |
1 | To ensure full compliance with all appropriate measures relating to financial management and governance |
1 | To maximise non-cricket revenue (e.g. conferences and events, concerts, BS7 gym revenue) |
1 | Increase the number of partners who directly link to saving the recreational game money |
1 | To secure the future of and develop the Cheltenham Cricket Festival as a crucial part of local and national cricket |
1 | To maximise all commercial opportunities the new stadia will bring including office rental, additional ticket sales, improved catering and an enhanced retail offering. |
1 | To manage all expenditure budgets in line with best practice alongside financial means |
1.6 | Produce a recreational game Digital and Marketing Strategy |

ECB Priority | Activities/Objectives |
---|---|
1.6 | To have a single entity genuinely diverse Governance / Strategy Board overseeing a same-branded “Business” and “Charity” |
1.6 | Adhere to the Gold standard of ‘ECB, a good governance guide’ and be a leader in this field |
1.6 | To create a culture underpinned by a clear set of values based on excellence and enjoyment |
1.6 | Complete the staffing structure to align to the five year strategy, both recreationally and professionally |
6.2 | Develop and launch a leading Charitable Foundation |
1 | To create role models and leaders at all levels of the organisation |
1 | To create a support network and working environment that goes beyond the norm and develops and inspires all staff |
1 | To achieve an industry leading benchmark such as Investors in People |