Hello
This Friday (30th September), untold sporting stories, memorabilia, memories and events will be shared across the four nations, as sports clubs, schools, community groups and museums celebrate the UK's sporting heritage, on National Sporting Heritage Day.
There are some great highlights this year -
details below on some of the projects and events taking place - including the
launch of a new exhibition at the CC4 Museum of Welsh Cricket sharing never before
released audio, sketches and other items shared between the worlds’ finest ever batter, and
sporting icon Don Bradman and Welsh club cricketer Douglas Davies who forged an unlikely and
long-lasting friendship with the Australian icon spanning five
decades.
The aim of the day is to share the impact and legacy of our sporting heritage – from grassroots, to elite, and particularly stories from diverse communities and those stories previously unknown and undiscovered. Lea Rowing Club is hosting a special exhibition to challenge the stereotypes of rowers, to share the stories of rowers from the club, including Ellie Lloyd-Smith whose photo is attached.
Northampton Saints rugby club for example are shining a light on the story of the first mixed race Saint player, Frank Anderson. Following a discover of a photograph of Frank in the archives, the Club have been researching Frank's story and will be hosting an online talk to share his fascinating story.
If you’d like to speak to Dr
Justine Reilly, founder and director of Sporting Heritage CIC – the organisation
behind the awareness day, or any of the projects highlighted, please do let me
know
Many thanks
Vicky
PRESS RELEASE
FINAL
26 September 2022
SPORTS HIDDEN
STORIES & COLLECTIONS TO BE CELEBRATED ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON NATIONAL SPORTING
HERITAGE DAY
Untold stories from UK’s sporting history, hidden
memorabilia and forgotten collections will be celebrated on Friday 30th
September when sports clubs, museums, community groups and individuals showcase
an amazing variety of sporting memories, objects, photographs, audio and film
in support of National Sporting Heritage Day.
Celebrating its eighth year, the National day founded by CIC
Sporting Heritage, aims to raise awareness of the relevance and value of
sporting heritage and encourage the public to access the collections and share
their sporting stories.
Highlights this year include the launch of the ‘Doug and the
Don’ exhibition at the CC4 Museum of Welsh Cricket at the headquarters of
Glamorgan Cricket in Cardiff. This special exhibition includes never before
released audio, sketches and other items shared between the worlds’ finest ever
batter, and sporting icon Don Bradman and Welsh club cricketer Douglas Davies
who forged an unlikely and long-lasting friendship with the Australian icon
spanning five decades.
This year Sporting Heritage have also teamed up with
Yorkshire charity, Action For Sport for The BIG Kit Donation. 100s of items of
unwanted sports kit donated will be used to create a large installation of the
NSHD letters at Horsforth School in Leeds on 30th September, and go on to
support children living in poverty play sport and create their own sporting
stories and heritage.
This year the national event has a particular focus on
celebrating heritage from diverse communities.
A sample of events and activities in celebration of the day include:
• Lea
Rowing Club in Hackney is one of the UK's most diverse rowing clubs and is
hosting the 'I Belong' project exhibition on 30th September to showcase show
that rowers come in all shapes, sizes, ages, genders, ethnicities, sexualities,
goals and backgrounds. An installation of photographs of members taken by
photographer Chris Baker along with their written and audio stories, their
challenges and inspirations will be shared at the exhibition.
• Northampton
Saints are shining a light on the story of the first mixed race Saint
player, Frank Anderson. Following a discover of a photograph of Frank in the
archives, the Club have been researching Frank's story and will be hosting an
online talk to share his fascinating story.
• Working
with Jamaican event rider, Lydia Heywood, The Avon Centre in Bristol are
offering 'Cool Ridings' horse experience days to riders from under-represented
backgrounds.
• Pungra
Fit in Northolt is holding an event to get more people active in the sport,
particularly women from South Asian communities and to share its heritage.
• A statue
for Jack Leslie, the black footballer denied an England cap because of his race
in 1925 will be unveiled at a special event outside Home Park in Plymouth
on 7th October
• Saxon
Riding for the Disabled Group in Bradford on Avon are launching their 'Tea
with a Pony' workshops, along with Dementia Action Alliance for #NSHD2022 to
encourage older people living with dementia to become active and take part in
riding activities.
Dr Justine Reilly, Founding Director of Sporting Heritage
says:
“All sport has a past to celebrate and heritage to share.
Through collections, archive material and events we can access hidden histories
and stories which are not traditionally shared, and those sporting collections
which haven’t been celebrated previously.”
Justine adds: “Sport unites us all – we’ve seen it over the
summer with the Women’s Euro campaign and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
It’s vital that we celebrate, learn and be inspired by our sporting history
which must include people from diverse communities and non-traditional sports.
It’s brilliant to see so many community groups, sport organisations, schools
and museums getting involved this year to share those hidden or untold
stories.”
The public is invited to get involved on the day by
searching the hashtag #NSHD2022 across social media to view or share
collections and objects from their sporting communities that tell their
sporting story.
Sporting Heritage’s Community Grant programme awarded 7 projects
funds to support events on the day, however 100s of events will take place
across the four nations and online. Further details are available at
www.sportingheritage.org.uk/NSHD
ENDS
Notes to editor
Photo details:
Image of rower Ellie Lloyd-Smith credit Chris Baker
Image of students from Silverdale School, Sheffield credit
Paul David Drabble
Contact:
For media enquiries please contact
Victoria Clapham E: Vicky@bevic.co.uk T: 07748102695
Further information on Sporting Heritage
Sporting Heritage CIC is a not-for-profit community interest
company working specifically to support the collection, preservation, access
and research of sporting heritage in the UK.
Held on the 30th September every year, National Sporting
Heritage Day is our flagship campaign and provides a focus point for sporting
heritage in the UK. It aims to raise awareness of the relevance of sporting
heritage, encourage new and different audiences to have access to these collections,
and encourage heritage, community and sporting organisations to recognise and
celebrate sporting heritage as an ongoing, significant element of their work,
not just something of importance during major sporting events.