Surrey Star Emma Jones Inspires Young Cricketers at Harris Academy Bermondsey

Surrey County Cricket Club Women’s player Emma Jones recently made a special visit to Harris Academy Bermondsey, a girls-only state secondary school in inner-city London, to inspire the next generation of cricketers.

The visit was part of a successful cricket programme developed by the Surrey Cricket Foundation at the school. After initially hosting an after-school club, the Foundation recognised the school’s potential for significant impact and expanded the programme in 2024 to include full-term coaching for Year 9 and Year 10 BTEC PE classes, many of whom had no prior cricket experience. By the end of the coaching, students demonstrated remarkable growth in their skills.

Emma joined the session, sharing her cricketing journey with the girls. She explained how cricket helped her make friends and find a community, and how she balanced her academic studies with starting to play professionally. Emma also provided expert coaching tips and hosted a Q&A session, answering the girls’ questions about her experiences. To further inspire them, she demonstrated her impressive batting and bowling skills.

“It was amazing meeting the girls from Harris Academy Bermondsey, and getting to hear about and see how far their skills and enthusiasm for the game have grown." Emma said after her visit. "Cricket and sport as a whole have had a massive impact on my life and who I am as a person and it would be great to see as many people playing the game as we can.”

Harris Academy Bermondsey is in inner-city London, where 89% of students are from ethnic minority backgrounds and 40% receive free school meals. The programme, funded by the Surrey Cricket Foundation Patrons’ Scheme, has resulted in a remarkable transformation in the students’ cricketing skills and confidence.

“Many of these girls had never experienced cricket before,” said Emily Patterson, Surrey Cricket Foundation Cricket Participation Officer (Female Engagement & Partnership). “Through dedicated coaching, they quickly developed their skills and demonstrated impressive teamwork.”

After the visit, Donna Donnelly, the PE Lead at the school said "The students had an awesome experience and without any doubt this has motivated and inspired them.  They will stay sky high for a long time, and what a way to end their coaching sessions! "

Building on the success of both the cricket programme and Emma's visit, Harris Academy Bermondsey has entered the Surrey Indoor Cricket Competitions and will continue to run after-school cricket sessions. Three girls from the school sessions have recently been selected to take part in an MCC Foundation Hub run by the Surrey Cricket Foundation, showcasing the success of the cricket programme at the school. The girls will have the opportunity to further enhance their skills and pursue their passion for cricket with the support of the Foundation. The school is also connecting with the ACE Programme and Southwark Park CC to provide further playing opportunities outside of school.

The Surrey Cricket Foundation is committed to making cricket accessible to all. If you are interested in supporting our work through the Patron’s Scheme or would like to introduce cricket sessions at your school, please contact us at foundation@surreycricket.com