A CRICKET club is giving nearly 100 young people free access to the sport through a volunteer-led junior programme.
Horsforth Hall Park Cricket Club, based in Leeds, launched a new Under 9–11 girls’ team called the Hall Park Lion Clubs.
The team will join the Airedale and Wharfedale Junior League next season.
Katie White, MP for Leeds North West, visited the club in September to meet chairman Gary Walton, volunteers, and families, and to see one of the club’s Friday evening junior sessions.
Ms White said: "What you see at Hall Park on a Friday evening is what a brilliant community sports club looks like.
"There are children everywhere, learning a new skill, making friends and growing in confidence, while parents can come down and be part of it too.
"The fact Gary, Katherine and the whole team of volunteers are giving nearly 100 young people the chance to play cricket without charging subscriptions is really special."
Around 50 children regularly attend the club’s open training sessions.
The club fields teams from Under 9 through to Under 18 and is also considering starting a women’s team next season.
The almost entirely volunteer-run programme is led by Gary Walton, who first came to Hall Park to play cricket around 10 years ago.
Mr Walton later became treasurer and has served as chairman for the past three years.
He said: "It was great to welcome Katie White MP and her team to Horsforth Hall Park CC on Friday, September 5.
"Katie saw first-hand the work we are doing in the community to support getting as many young people as possible into learning about and playing cricket.
"We have approaching 100 young people on our books now and we have recently formed an Under 9-11 girls team, the 'Hall Park Lion Clubs', who will take part in the Airedale and Wharfedale Junior League next season.
"We are all proud of what we have achieved at the club in recent years."
The club is a community interest company run by a dedicated committee of volunteers.
Any profit is invested straight back into improving its facilities and what it can offer.
Horsforth Hall Park Cricket Club ensures its junior members feel connected to the senior teams by providing the same Canterbury kit.
Through fundraising and sponsorship, the club has also donated shirt space to Candlelighters, a Leeds charity supporting children with cancer and their families.
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