City Council’s Harnham Cricket Club continues to be a fun and valuable resource for the community

On Thursday 11 August at Harnham Recreational Ground, Harnham Women’s Team played The Crocs (over 50’s) in a softball cricket match to cap off the inaugural season for the club. The teams were well matched and although the Women’s team triumphed scoring 142 in 21 overs the Crocs fought valiantly scoring 108. There was a huge amount of support on and off the pitch with over 20 supporters. The team give special thanks to Pete who plays for Village Freehouse (Harnham Adult’s Team) who ran a bar and provided much needed refreshments for the players and spectators.

The occasion though was much more than just a game. Harnham Cricket Club was an initiative started by Salisbury City Council’s Communities Team and has grown into an independent club developing two children’s sections (Kwick Cricket and Hardball), Women’s and The Crocs sections. With the support of one of the City Council’s Activities leaders, Tom Gailey, local people have come together to build and ultimately take ownership of the club. This is a great working example of how investing time in sport for the community can have a positive impact for not only the physical health of Salisbury residents but wider community provision. There are now around 50 people involved in the club meeting socially and getting active. In addition to the cricket provision Harnham CC ran multiple independent low-cost multisport sessions for local children during the holidays run by Dana and Ben.

Councillor Ian Tomes plays for the Crocs and had this to say – “We all have been bowled over by how much this has been a giggle and how the team has grown in ability. It was a lovely evening, in a beautiful setting that brought the cricket community of Harnham together. We look forward to a rematch. A big thanks to all those who made this happen”

The Communities Team hope that this model of sports development showcases what investment in community sports provision can yield. A big thank you to WASP (Wiltshire and Swindon Sports Partnership) for help funding the project over the first few years. The City Council will continue to offer support to this community team and hopes that the club continues to grow and provide more positive outcomes in the years to come.