Mid Norfolk is home to a wide variety of local sports, leisure and community clubs that do so much outstanding work in our towns and villages.  

Going far beyond simply providing the opportunity to participate in a sport or activity, they so often reach out across communities, providing support to people from difficult and/or diverse backgrounds, acting as a force for immense good and bringing people together. And most of them want to be able to do even more! 

(I have fond memories of my own children playing at Watton Hockey Club for example and know what a great unifying force that particular club is in its own community – which is why I have been pleased to provide what support I can as they look to raise funds to replace their rapidly deteriorating astro-turf pitch. To see more, click here and here). 

That’s why one of my central missions since becoming an MP has been to help these vitally important groups boost the ‘offer’ that they all provide the communities they serve by raising awareness and offering support where I can. 

Over the past twelve months I have offered support and advice to, as well as spoken up on behalf of, community sports teams (see more here and here) – including visiting Dereham Town FC to learn more about the wonderful work they do, such as promoting the work of the brilliant domestic abuse charity The Daisy Programme in Breckland (see more here, here and here). 

I was delighted to visit Woodside Snooker Centre this past week too, meeting Colin McCarthy (a qualified World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association coach) and the team to find out more about the brilliant work they do.  

Snooker, pool and billiards are some of the few sports with a substantial presence in almost all urban areas and allow players to participate, and compete, no matter their gender, faith, physical ability or mental ability. The Centre, which works alongside the WPBSA and the English Partnership for Snooker and Billiards, embraces that vision and proactively works to grow the sports from the grassroots. 

Catering for people of all ages and abilities, it was a pleasure to drop into one of their junior coaching sessions (for 8-14 year olds each week and which is currently at full capacity). 

I was thrilled to hear too how the club sponsors and supports three of its own members – two ladies that play in World Women’s Snooker events and a gentleman who plays World Disability Billiards and Snooker events. 

We must do all we can to support these wonderful local assets and I would encourage anyone with an interest in snooker and billiards to reach out to Woodside and go along.  

To find out more about Woodside, please visit their website here.

To read about my visit in more detail, including about some of the people I met, please see the article on the EPSB website here.

I look forward to continuing my work to help these vital local facilities, and to continuing my dialogue with Woodside, in the months and years ahead.