AN East Lancashire cricketer is to be awarded a prestigious Chancellor’s Scholarship in recognition of his efforts to involve young people in the county with cricket.

Twenty-year-old Luke Pomfret spent most of his childhood on a cricket pitch and his passion has led to the reward from his university.

What started as a bit of fun for an energetic three-year-old grew into a lifelong passion for the sport, and his commitment to making it accessible for as many people as possible.

Edge Hill University student Luke, from Brownhill in Blackburn, has been involved with East Lancashire Cricket Club since he was young, playing for the junior teams and volunteering behind the scenes.

But it wasn’t until his younger sister took up the game five years ago that he realised he could use his love of the sport to help others.

He said: “I’d realised by then that I wasn’t going to be a professional cricketer.

“But I knew I could help younger players reach their potential.

“The girls weren’t able to play competitively after a certain age because they weren’t allowed in the boys’ teams, so I took a coaching course and helped develop the club’s first girls’ team.”

The Chancellor’s Scholarship celebrates students who help to raise the profile of Edge Hill in a positive way through their exceptional contribution to the university.

The award, worth £1,000, also recognises students who contribute to equal opportunities and diversity, rewarding notable contributions to equality in support of race, disability, gender, sexuality, religion, anti-poverty, anti-ageism or any form of anti-discrimination.

As well as being a volunteer coach for the girls’ team, Luke has been team manger and head coach for several mixed teams, including two in one season.

He coaches the Blackburn with Darwen District Under-11 team, which recently won the North Lancashire District Cup for the first time since 2010.

Luke has also worked with children with autism, adapting his coaching techniques to address the children’s individual needs and allowing them to participate competitively.

He said: “Cricket improves fine motor skills and parents often tell me that they see improvements in other areas of their children’s lives after playing cricket.

“I really enjoy seeing all the kids progress. It’s so rewarding to see them start as beginners and turn into proper cricketers.”

Luke is also a keen fundraiser for East Lancashire Cricket Club, raising vital money that helps the club reduce costs for participation and ensure children in challenging economic circumstances can still access sport.

He added: “Receiving the Chancellor’s Scholarship makes all the hard work worthwhile.

“I don’t volunteer for the recognition, but it is nice if people notice you.”

“It is also a high accolade and will make my CV stand out as it shows leadership and a willingness to get involved which will hopefully go down well with the schools I apply to in the future.”