The partnership was announced by Ravinder Masih, Head of Community Engagement and Government Relations at Edgbaston, who was a speaker at the event. He announced that Edgbaston Stadium has already pledged to be a host venue for the Birmingham Stories Young Birmingham Poets programme, where pupils receive a bespoke workshop and tour around the stadium to inspire them to write their own poems.

Edgbaston Foundation and Birmingham Stories are also working together to create bespoke events and programmes to be launched in the new year, and a campaign involving cricketing stars, which will bring sport and literacy together to engage young people.

Other speakers included Councillor Brigid Jones, Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council, who opened with a talk on the education landscape in Birmingham, Matt Dunn, the Managing Director at Experian, and Bec Tigue, Head Teacher at the University of Birmingham School.

If every child left primary school with the required reading skills, the UK economy could be £32.1 billion bigger by 2025 . In Birmingham 50% of wards rank in the top 10% of literacy need in England and 41% of young people did not achieve good GCSE grades in English language and maths in 2018.

Along with KPMG, Warwickshire CCC, through its charitable arm the Edgbaston Foundation, are one of the first local businesses to sign up to the pledge and they’re calling on other businesses to join them.

Ravinder Masih, Head of Community Engagement and Government Relations at Edgbaston said: “We are proud to be one of the first organisations in Birmingham to sign up to the Business Literacy Pledge, and would encourage other local businesses to invest in their community by doing the same. We are working closely with Birmingham Stories to develop activities that bring together a love of sport, and pride in Birmingham, to encourage everyone to share their stories.”

Harinder Matharu, Birmingham Stories Manager said: “Birmingham Stories is a community-led campaign, and that is why it is so important for local organisations to be at its heart to do what they can to support local literacy. Edgbaston stadium and the cricket club are such a big part of the culture and history of Birmingham, and it is fantastic that they are committing their support to the campaign.”