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MCC Foundation National Hub Programme to receive over £1m investment from ECB

Posted: 19 February 2026

MCC can confirm that the MCC Foundation (MCCF), the Club’s charitable arm, will receive over £1m in funding from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) over the next two years as part of ECB’s commitment to its charity partners.

The funding, which will be paid in instalments between now and 2028, will help MCCF continue the growth of its National Hub Programme, which offers access to free coaching and increased match play opportunities for state-educated children across the UK. ECB previously provided a similar investment in 2023, with aims to see the Hubs programme grow to 150 sites and 5,000 participants. In MCCF’s recent Impact Report, the charity confirmed that it had exceeded these ambitions, with 164 Hubs providing for more than 5,500 young people.

Not only does the MCCF Hubs Programme offer free access to cricket, it also provides talented youngsters with a pathway to progress into County Age Group squads, with over 430 Hub graduates reaching this level since 2024, and players such as Seren Smale (Lancashire and England) and Romano Franco (Glamorgan) going on to sign professional contracts.

To find out more about what an MCCF Hub is, please watch this short video:
 

MCCF also works closely with Chance to Shine, another cricket charity which is benefitting from an injection of funds from ECB today. By working together, Chance to Shine and the MCC Foundation are creating clear, free-to-access pathways for talented young cricketers. From Chance to Shine schools and Street cricket at junior school level, to MCC Foundation Hubs for teenagers, the partnership supports young people to progress into hard-ball cricket and access the talent pathway, with a focus on those from under-served communities.

The MCC Foundation also benefits from the continued support of MCC and Barclays, who make considerable annual donations which provide the financial security that underpins everything the Foundation does.

MCCF Chief Executive Officer, Angus Berry, said: "We are deeply grateful to ECB for their continued support of our MCCF Hub Programme. This increased and sustained investment is a vital catalyst for growth. It allows us to reach more young people in state schools and under-represented communities across the country, expand high-quality provision, and make talent pathways more accessible. It is not just the financial support, but also the deep ties we have with ECB and its County network which is integral to the success of the programme, now and in the future."