Chance to Shine appoints new chief executive

Chance to Shine, the charity that has played a major role in reintroducing cricket in state schools, has announced the appointment of Laura Cordingley as its new chief executive.

Cordingley joins the charity after serving as Assistant Director in the Mayor's Office, where she had responsibility for Team London, volunteering and sport across the capital.

Prior to that appointment, she spent five years as Community Development Manager at the MCC between 2013 and 2017, where she worked closely with Chance to Shine in developing and delivering the club's community engagement strategy.

Earlier in her career, she held sports development roles at Durham City School Sports Partnership and Volleyball England. Cordingley previously played for and captained her country at netball.

She will take up the role in April, after Luke Swanson, the current incumbent, chose to step down after a three-year tenure.

"I am thrilled to be joining Chance to Shine, an organisation that I have worked with and admired for some years now," Cordingley said. "It will be a privilege to lead such a successful, well-respected charity.

"I am excited by the opportunities that lie ahead at a time of significant change and tremendous opportunity both for cricket and the wider sport-for-development sector."

Chance to Shine was founded in 2005 by the former Bank of England governor Mervyn King, alongside the broadcaster Mark Nicholas and bat manufacturer Duncan Fearnley, with the aim of re-introducing cricket to children at state schools. To date, it has given more than 3 million young people a chance to play, half of whom have been girls.

"I am delighted that Laura is joining to take Chance to Shine on the next stage of its journey," the charity's chairman, Donald Brydon, said.

"Luke and the team have established a great platform for our future; Laura's deep expertise in community sport and her commitment to educating children through cricket will be hugely important in our further development."