Sun was shining, pints were flowing, and balls were flying once again in Minehead at the annual Freddie Pring Memorial Fund cricket tournament.
This year was the fourth edition of the tournament that raises money for the local charity and with 10 teams competing across two groups it was bigger than ever, raising £2,335 for the fund.
After going unbeaten in their groups ‘Watchet FC’ and ‘Good with Wood’ progressed into the final where a tight battle eventually saw ‘Good with Wood’ triumph to lift the Memorial Shield.
The eight-a-side tournament is hosted annually at Minehead Cricket Club to help raise money for The Freddie Pring Memorial Fund, a charity set up in memory of the local sportsman who passed away in 2019.
The fund uses its events and donations to help support local sportsmen and women by providing funding for coaching, equipment, and anything else that might help their development.
It also puts an emphasis on personal development and hopes to provide people from the rural community of West Somerset the opportunity to train and compete outside of the immediate area.
Recent victories for the fund include donations to Minehead’s amateur boxing club and the funding of local rugby player Martell Payn’s tour of South Africa.
After the tournament Heather Pring, Freddie’s mum and founder of the Memorial Fund, was delighted with the event and the amount of support it has gotten over the years.
She said: “The day has been amazing, it’s so good to see so many teams come year in year out and support us, it’s great.
“One of the main things about the fund is bringing people together, which is true to Freddie’s character, and we’ve done that once again.”
“The day has gone well, we’ve got a great team, everyone’s smiling, everyone’s happy, and we’ve raised a good sum of money so what more can I ask for?”
Heather also went on to explain the reasoning’s behind the sports-based charity.
She said: “When Freddie died we were told so many times about the way he supported people, so we thought what better way than to create a fund to keep his memory but also carry on doing what he can’t do anymore.”
“So many people are going through hardships, and I think if we can host events that bring the community together, that get people working together and local businesses together, get people having fun and getting out in the fresh air then that’s what we want, that’s great!”
If you would like to find out more about the charity, donate, or apply for funding as an athlete please visit The Freddie Pring Memorial Fund website here.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here