Strode Park 80th Anniversary Residents Activity Day

On Thursday 10 September, Kent Cricket Foundation’s Disability Cricket Officer, Brian Gasking, and Inclusion Officer, Gabriella Rolls, headed to Strode Park Residential Home in Herne Bay to bring Table Cricket and Boccia to the residents as part of a special activity day to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the home.

The day was one of fun and competitiveness and there were some really close games of table cricket, cricket snooker and Boccia as well as football and golf. Many of the residents had never tried table cricket or Boccia before, but you wouldn’t have known that from the performances on display!

Inclusion Officer Gabriella Rolls shared:

“It was such a pleasure to meet the residents of Strode Park and be part of the 80th anniversary residents day. It was fantastic to see everyone getting competitive and sharing plenty of laughter in addition to the close matches.

“We hope it’s helped the residents see how fun sport and cricket can be, and we’d warmly welcome them to our Super 1s Hub in Canterbury for a rematch anytime they like!”

Disability Cricket Officer, Brian Gasking, is extremely passionate about ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity to give sport a go regardless of their abilities. Table Cricket is a perfect example of this, where players can play seated or stood up, with bowlers using a variety of ramps to deliver the ball, while batters use a small bat to hit the edge of the table to score boundaries or risk hitting the red zone and getting out. It can also be adapted to create snooker games in which participants aim to hit cups with the ball.

Importantly, these adapted games are supporting the residents to get active and develop their movement and other physical skills, as well as teamwork and turn taking which are all vital skills for the wellbeing of the residents.

Brian reflected:

“It was great to spend the day with the residents and highlight that cricket can be so much more than a bat, ball and stump, so that everyone can have a go, no matter their ability level. It was fantastic to see the residents enjoying playing these games and surprising themselves at how well they played! I hope this may be the start of a cricket journey for a few of the residents”.

Fundraising, Communications and Events Manager for Strode Park, Louise Topping expressed her thanks for the Foundation’s involvement on the day:

“We are incredibly grateful to the Kent Cricket Foundation for joining us at our 80th anniversary residents’ activities day. Their enthusiasm and support helped create a fantastic experience for our residents with disabilities, making the day truly memorable for everyone at Strode Park Foundation.”

If you’ve been inspired by the fun the residents had on the day and want to give inclusive cricket a go, please contact Brian via Brian.Gasking@kentcricket.co.uk and he can introduce you to the adapted sport provision that is right for you.