A cricket club in Headingley is hoping to make history this summer by building the first grassroots disability centre in the UK.
St Chad’s Broomfield Cricket Club, on Otley Road, first had the idea when disabled supporter Nathan Popple asked if he could join one of their teams.
Sarah Carmody, Nathan’s mother and the club’s Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer, said, “I think he asked as more of a wind-up, because that’s what Nathan was like, but Paul (Berry, St Chad’s Chairman) just said where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Shortly after, Nathan and Paul had begun to plan what Sarah says would be “the first ever grassroots disability cricket centre.
“We had a look round and realised that once people with physical disabilities leave school, there’s not really a lot to do in terms of cricket. You can go to the big centres like Yorkshire, but Nathan was a Chad’s man through and through and this was his club.”
Nathan passed away last year at the age of 26, but the club are continuing their plans in his honour, starting with the creation of a table cricket centre. Table cricket is an adapted form of the game, played indoors on a table tennis table.
Other plans include the installation of a path and a ramp, to allow easier access for those with mobility issues. Sarah is also aiming to ensure that St Chad’s coaches receive disability training.
Although the modifications and training will be a long and costly process, Sarah insists that in the meantime anyone should feel welcome at the club; “In terms of accessibility within attitudes, the club is just amazing. We don’t need to think how we’re going to include a person, that person will just be included.”
For support and inspiration, St Chad’s are looking towards youth cricket and disability sports charity, The Lords Taverners. Sarah said, “The Taverners are amazing. During a lunch of theirs at Headingley Stadium we met people from many businesses and charities who were really inspired by ours and Nathan’s vision.”
“We think it’s an exciting project, borne from an inspirational man and hopefully others will follow.”