Durham Cricket Foundation is bringing its walking cricket indoors from this week, with two community hubs running free weekly sessions throughout the off-season.
The Foundation will self-fund the cost of the venue for the hub at Willington Cricket Club to ensure the sessions can continue to run in the coming months.
Everyone Active will support the hub at Washington by providing use of Washington Leisure Centre, helping the charity keep the sessions free of charge to participants.
The walking cricket project is one of the core initiatives the Foundation delivers in a bid to improve older people’s mental wellbeing and reduce social isolation in adults.
Being launched in April 2021, the Foundation has grown the project from one hub to two venues across the county and has continuously run the sessions by bringing the activity indoors for a second consecutive year.
Durham Cricket Foundation Manager Liam Simpson said: “It’s fantastic that we are able to offer sessions again this winter and shows that there is a real appetite for walking cricket all year round.
“I’m grateful to Everyone Active for their support for a second year running, helping us to keep participants engaged in the off-season.
“Many of the participants have been attending walking cricket for some time and the sessions have become part of their weekly routines. It was important to keep opportunities on throughout the year and we wanted to continue to offer them for free so we decided to self-fund the hub at Willington.
“We are glad that we are able to do do that and feel that it will ensure our session continue to have impact to those who attend, while eliminating barriers to get involved for new participants.”
About the game of walking cricket:
Walking cricket is an adaptation of the traditional format in which the game is played at walking pace, using a soft ball.
The sessions are open to participants of any ability and experience, with the format allowing everyone an equal chance at the game.
The project aims to create an accessible fitness and wellbeing opportunity for its participants, while aspiring to create friendships along the way.
Available sessions
Washington, every Friday, 10.00am-12.00pp at Washington Leisure Centre, NE38 7SS
Willington: every Friday, 1pm – 3pm at Spectrum Leisure Centre, DL15 0JA