By Abi Curran

Rising star Niamh Holland said it was a privilege to inspire the next generation to get active through cricket.

The 19-year-old is well aware that just a few years ago, she found herself in a similar position, inspired by her dad and brother to get into the sport from an early age.

Holland attended a Crick-Fit session at Goodmayes Park in Ilford, a non-turf pitch installed in 2023 as part of KP Snacks’ commitment to installing and refurbishing 100 pitches over the next three years, focussing on cities and urban areas.

Through their Everyone In campaign, KP Snacks are on a mission to inspire and enable more families and communities to get active through cricket and create more opportunities for people to have a healthier lifestyle through the sport.

“It was good to get out here with all the kids and families, there were lots of people here today,” she said.

“It feels very weird because not many years ago, that was me as a kid.

“I feel very privileged to be put back into this position, to be able to show kids that anyone can come up and play cricket.

“My dad and brother used to play but if they hadn’t have played, I wouldn’t have found a place to get involved.

“Without facilities, it makes it very hard for people to get involved and the better the facilities, the more people that come along.

“Today has shown how much KP Snacks are doing and the amount of children here today shows what a great initiative it is.”

The initiative will have a significant impact on local communities, offering greater access to sport for more people.

It reflects KP Snacks' commitment to investing in local communities to promote healthier lifestyles by facilitating access to sports and encouraging families to become more physically active.

Last year, 36 pitches went live and there are a further 35 pitches being installed this summer across the country across Bristol, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Wigan.

KP Snacks marketing manager Emma Smith said: “As the Official Team Partner of The Hundred, we are on a mission to inspire and enable more families and communities to get active and involved with cricket.

“We hope these pitches will create new opportunities for local communities to access high-quality cricket facilities in park and recreation grounds and become active through the sport of cricket.

“Today we wanted to show how fun cricket by creating a cricket-themed workout using exercises based on common movements in cricket as an introduction to some of the skills required to play the sport.”

KP Snacks is the Official Team Partner of The Hundred. Through their Everyone In campaign, they are on a mission to inspire and enable more families & communities to get more active through cricket and create more opportunities for people to get involved and have a healthier lifestyle through the sport. To find your nearest pitch, head to www.everyonein.co.uk