Gurjeet Malhi is a Wolverhampton-based GP who is supporting the 'Sport for Change Cities’ pilot programme based in the city. In this article, she speaks to University of Wolverhampton journalism students Malaika Khan and Amy Lloyd about how her experience as a women and girls coach for Wolverhampton Cricket Club, and director for Keeping People Well CIC, has made her determined to promote the broader health and social benefits of sport and physical activity.

A Wolverhampton-based GP has pledged her support for the new Sport for Change Wolverhampton initiative, after revealing how becoming a cricket player and coach transformed her life and reinforced her belief in the broader health and social benefits of sport.

AFFORDABLE

Gurjeet Malhi says cricket was something she admired from a distance while growing up. She attended a Wolverhampton comprehensive school and would watch matches on television during her lunch breaks, fascinated by the sport but feeling it was out of reach.

“I used to come home at lunchtime, watch cricket on the TV and think, ‘Wow, that's amazing,’” she said. “It was not an affordable sport for someone like me.”

Years later, after bringing her own children to Wolverhampton Cricket Club in Tettenhall and watching from the sidelines, a coach invited the women present to give softball cricket a try. Gurjeet immediately embraced the opportunity.

“I bit their hand off,” she said. “By default I ended up being the captain as well!”

Now in her fourth season as captain, Gurjeet says the impact of that decision has been far greater than she anticipated.

“It gave me a sense of purpose at a time when I was probably hitting perimenopause. It gave me an identity, it got me moving, and it gave me that team camaraderie and community feel - a place to come, have a laugh and feel lighter going home.”

EMBEDDED

As a GP, she has also gained a new perspective on wellbeing through her involvement in sport - which is why she is supporting the Sport for Change Wolverhampton campaign, supported by the University of Wolverhampton and Wolves Foundation. The new initiative, which is being co-ordinated by ConnectSport CIC, sees local students promoting the health and social benefits of community sport projects across the city. More than 50 projects are expected to join the campaign by the end of 2026.

“What this has shown me is that being embedded in the community on a daily basis, rather than your consulting room, the therapy on the pitch is just amazing.”

The friendships formed through the team have also created valuable support networks, strengthening community connections beyond the game itself. Gurjeet believes these benefits extend far beyond cricket and can play an important role in addressing wider health challenges. In her work as a GP, she regularly sees patients struggling with mental health issues, perimenopause symptoms, anxiety, low mood and long-term conditions such as diabetes.

Sports clubs can help tackle many of these issues by combining exercise with social interaction and routine.

“You’ve got your movement element and you’ve got your community as well,” she said. “You have that opportunity to talk, and I think sometimes communities can be lacking in this fast-paced world.”

She argues that sport should be promoted not only as a competitive activity but also as a tool for improving mental and physical wellbeing.

WELLBEING

“The effects of sport have been shown to be positive on mental wellbeing,” she said. “Quite often in my consultations I discuss exercise, even just going out in the sunshine for a walk as a starting point.”

Joining a team sport can provide an extra level of commitment and motivation. “If people enjoy it, they’re more likely to keep doing it.”

Gurjeet believes more should be done to ensure children and adults from all backgrounds have opportunities to try sports that may otherwise seem inaccessible. “There’s a lot of skill out there that just gets overlooked,” she said. “I’d like to encourage people to get involved, especially those who don’t have the means to do it.”

Through her experiences as a GP, captain and coach, Gurjeet has seen first-hand how sport can build confidence, improve health and strengthen communities. For her, cricket has become far more than a game - it is a source of purpose, connection and wellbeing.

Read this article in the Birmingham Mail, and Express & Star.

Read more about Sport for Change Wolverhampton at sportforchangecities.org

Pic credit: Claire Richards.

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