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BUCKS CRICKET

Club Accreditation

ECB Accreditation recognises clubs that meet the ECB’s requirements and standards for providing a safe, welcoming and well-managed cricket environment. It involves meeting specific criteria around areas such as safeguarding, facilities, club management and player experience.

What's changing: If your club held Clubmark accreditation between 2022 and 2025, you'll need to complete the new ECB Accredited Club status process in 2027. This isn't a re-accreditation exercise – it's a refreshed process, moving to a pre-season window (January-April 2027) instead of an in-season one.

What are the benefits for clubs?

  • Clubs will be accredited for a three-year period, reviewed annually.
  • Accreditation will take place pre-season to ease the burden in-season.
  • One digital platform - accreditation will take place through play-cricket, alongside affiliation with Bucks, reducing the number of systems. The Clubmark Portal/Club Accreditation Portal will be decommissioned - so do remember to download any documents you might need from there.
  • Development tools - Club Self Assessment and Club Development Planning tools will help clubs to listen to their membership and prioritise what matters.

What you need to do now: The good news is there's a lot you can prepare over the off-season, much of which fits naturally around your AGM:

  • Review and update your club’s constitution, in line with the ECB constitution checklist.
  • Review and update your club’s Safe Hands Policy Statement: see the template here.
  • Update your committee details and safeguarding officer information on Play-Cricket and SHMS following any AGM elections. This should be kept up to date at all times.
  • Check that your Club Chair and Secretary have “main administrator” rights on Play-Cricket.
  • Take a look at the Club Accreditation Checklist so you know exactly what you'll be assessed against.

Key dates:

  • September-December 2026: preparation phase - get your documentation in order.
  • January 2027: accreditation window opens.
  • 30 April 2027: accreditation window closes.

We're here to help: If you have any questions about what's required or how to prepare, get in touch with clubs@buckscricket.co.uk. We'd also encourage you to look at the Club Affiliation Toolkit for templates and guidance.

For any queries: clubs@buckscricket.co.uk

 

Looking for Affiliation? Affiliation connects your club to our local cricket network, providing access to county-wide support, guidance, development opportunities and relevant programmes and services offered by Bucks Cricket. Click HERE for more info.