Felling Cricket Club were delighted to welcome 60 different girls to our three-day Girls’ Summer Festival in August with the event proving to be a fantastic success both on and off the field.
The festival was made possible through the generous support of Boomerang Healthcare whose sponsorship played a major part in allowing the club to provide a high-quality, accessible and enjoyable experience for everyone who attended.
Across the three days girls had the opportunity to take part in a wide range of cricket activities in a fun, welcoming and inclusive environment. While the North East weather provided the occasional challenge with some rain during the festival the girls braved the conditions superbly and continued to enjoy the sessions throughout.
A particularly pleasing outcome has been the number of girls who have chosen to continue their cricket journey with the club. To date twelve new girls who attended the festival have registered to join our Academy which represents a significant and very positive legacy from the event.
Outstanding Support from Boomerang Healthcare
Felling Cricket Club would like to place on record its sincere thanks to Boomerang Healthcare for the tremendous support they provided.
Their sponsorship covered a number of key elements of the festival including the cost of coaching and food throughout the three days helping us to ensure the event remained accessible to the families taking part.
Boomerang Healthcare also provided every girl with a fantastic festival T-shirt and cap giving those who attended a lasting reminder of what we hope was a memorable experience.
Their support went far beyond simply attaching a name to the event. It directly helped us to provide coaching, meals, clothing and most importantly an opportunity for girls from across the local community to experience cricket in a positive and welcoming setting.
For a community sports club such as Felling support of this nature is invaluable. The fact that twelve girls have already gone on to register with our Academy demonstrates the genuine impact that Boomerang Healthcare’s backing has already had.
We are extremely grateful for their generosity and for the confidence they showed in supporting our efforts to grow Women & Girls cricket at the club.
Support from Durham Cricket Board & Local Counsellor
The festival was also supported by Durham Cricket Board whose contribution to the event was greatly appreciated.
Their coaches provided excellent support across the three days delivering sessions that encouraged the girls to develop their skills, build confidence and enjoy the game regardless of their previous cricket experience.
We would like to thank all of the coaches involved for their enthusiasm, patience and commitment throughout the festival. Their contribution was a major factor in making the event such a positive experience for everyone who attended.
We were also pleased to welcome local Councillor Garry Thompson to the club during the festival.
Garry took the opportunity to see the event first-hand and to speak with those involved in the delivery of our Women & Girls programme.
The club would like to thank Garry not only for supporting the festival but also for the considerable interest and support he has shown Felling Cricket Club in recent months since his appointment.
Having visible support from local representatives who take a genuine interest in the work being carried out within their community is extremely valuable and Garry’s continued support is very much appreciated by everyone at the club.
Building on the Success
The Girls’ Summer Festival formed part of Felling Cricket Club’s continued commitment to increasing opportunities for women and girls to get involved in cricket.
We hope the event will prove to be the start of a long involvement in cricket for many of those who attended.
Felling Cricket Club continues to welcome new players to its growing Women & Girls section with girls aged eight and upwards encouraged to get involved. Previous cricket experience is not necessary and new players are always welcome.
Anyone interested in joining the club or finding out more about the opportunities available within our Women & Girls set-up is encouraged to get in touch.
Sixty girls, three memorable days and new Academy registrations already represents a fantastic return from the event — and we hope this is only the beginning.
Photographs from the Girls’ Summer Festival were kindly provided by Barry McGregor.
