“Why should we bother?” 

“What does it do for my Club?”

“Isn’t it just political correctness gone nuts?”

Believe us, we’ve heard them all before as well as several that can’t be repeated here!   But they are quite valid questions so let’s try and answer them here.

We have to go back to 2002 when Clubmark was introduced by Sport England.  Everything they wanted then has been achieved in that minimum standards of good practice have been set;  parents have been empowered when it comes to choosing a club for their children and that there’s a focus around which cricket Clubs can support each other when it comes to good practice when working with children and young people.

Any one of the accredited Clubs mentioned elsewhere on this site will say that as parents, schools and local authorities have become aware of Clubmark clubs in their area, they are taking their children to them, as opposed to non-Clubmark clubs.  They know, because of the Clubmark logo, that they can trust their children to the Club.

One thing - Clubs working towards accreditation can receive support and advice from KCB and other partners such as the county sports partnership (CSP).  Circumstances do vary between clubs but the process of accreditation is the same.  And experience tells us that in general, most clubs are well on the way to achieving accreditation without realising it!

So what are the benefits?  You might like to consider these areas.

Club development:
The foundation for any club is its youth structure. By encouraging and attracting young members, it is building a strong future.  Cricket Clubs with Clubmark attract more young players than those without - and they stay with playing the game!

Increased membership:
Addressing issues like equity and child protection gives parents confidence when choosing a club for their children.  Many Clubs will confirm a massive increase in their adult membership as well as burgeoning youth sections - all because of Clubmark.

Developing coaches and volunteers:
As part of Clubmark, clubs receive help in developing the skills of those involved in their organisation.  Local authorities and other organisations make significant contributions to coach development costs.  Clubs may even pay nothing.  But more and more often those contributions are being directed towards Clubmark accredited Clubs only.

Raised profile:
Once Clubmark accredited, clubs are listed on a national database and in other directories, to help them attract new members and grow.

Insurance:
The cost of insurance is very possibly likely to be higher for Clubs that have not achieved Clubmark over those that have.  Insurance companies are beginning to demand proof that the environment they are insuring, both physical and moral, is less at risk than it would otherwise be - and Clubmark accreditation is that proof.

The support of KCB and others:
Your Club will get support from KCB and other organisations and individuals as you work towards Clubmark, achieve it and then beyond.  With strictly limited resources, that help may be more difficult to enlist if your Club isn’t either accredited already or actively working towards it.

Financial opportunities:
As time goes by, more and more funding and charitable organisations are demanding that their money is seen to go to Clubs that have demonstrated to them that they have worked for their support.  Clubmark accreditation is the proof that they are asking for.

Finally, political correctness at the extreme? 

No.  Common sense at the extreme.