One year ago, Wales Netball in partnership with Sport Rhondda Cynon Taff and the Women’s Institute launched some walking netball pilot sessions at Llantwit Fardre Leisure Centre which grew into one of the country’s first walking netball clubs. Now Llantwit Fardre Walking Netball Club is a year old, the walking format of the game has gone from strength to strength across the nation. Working in collaboration with the National Federation of Women’s Institutes Cymru, Wales Netball has helped launch even more walking netball sessions across Wales, which are having some wonderful health and well-being benefits on their participants.
Meanwhile, in Llantwit Fardre, the new club’s walking netball sessions have quickly become oversubscribed, leading the club to launch a second night of training. The club now also has its own badge. There is even talk of looking to get involved with walking hockey sessions!
Siân Ponting, who runs the club, reflected on a ‘whirlwind’ year for her and her players. Siân said: “The impact that walking netball has had on ladies within our community (and beyond) has been phenomenal. The stories that I am hearing about the influence that is having on ladies’ lives are both heartwarming and inspiring.
“The benefits that sport brings are awesome, providing more than just a physical benefit – the positive impact on mental well-being and social inclusion is massive and you have only got to speak to our members to understand why.”
She added: “I am very excited about what the next year will bring and am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together!”
Wales Netball would like to thank Siân, NFWI-Cymru and Sport RCT for all of their work on walking netball over the last year. With so much more to come in both Llantwit Fardre and across Wales, we look forward to catching up with participants soon and hearing about how engaging with walking netball has had an impact on them.
You can follow Llantwit Fardre Walking Netball Club via Twitter @w_net_Llantwit