This week, The Kia Oval welcomed 250 local school children to the Ben Hollioake Learning Centre Schools Day, where the group enjoyed a brilliant day out.
As well as watching Surrey bowl against Kent in the afternoon session, the young people got to meet Surrey and England star Reece Topley, had pictures clicked with Club mascot Caesar the Lion and competed against each other in a special bowling challenge.
The Ben Hollioake Learning Centre, which has been in operation since 2006, welcomes pupils from local primary schools every day of the academic year. Students walk to the ground from their schools and have two 45-minute sessions whilst at The Kia Oval.
One of the sessions, based in the classroom, sees pupils taught digital skills such as coding, touch typing and audio and video editing. The other session, held outside, in the ground’s Jardine Suite, introduces them to the basics of cricket.
There are also three post-school sessions hosted in the centre each week, offering local families a further after-school care option and a chance for different groups of young people to play cricket and learn digital skills. Throughout the year, around 750 children engage in the centre, participating in various activities.
Pupils this week came from St. Saviour’s, Herbert Morrison, Wyvil, Ashmole, Henry Fawcett, Vauxhall and St. Mark’s Primary Schools – all of which are within easy walking distance of The Kia Oval. The bowling competition was won by St. Marks, who will be awarded a unique Surrey prize later this summer.
Jon Surtees, Head of Community at Surrey CCC, said: “Days like today are a great chance to welcome young people to the ground. Whilst all of them have been coming to The Kia Oval throughout the year, for many of them they might not have seen the ground on a matchday or watched a game of cricket before.
“Giving them the chance to meet players like Reece Topley and compete for their schools hopefully adds to that, both creating future cricket fans and giving young people who live in the area the chance to see a match inside The Kia Oval.”
