School holiday sports days ‘getting better and better’

A total of more than 130 schoolchildren took part in a feast of popular sports in Crewe and Sandbach over the Easter holidays.

The newly named County Cross Games were organised by Cheshire Constabulary’s Sandbach neighbourhood policing team.

Run in partnership with Premier League Kicks and Crewe Alexandra Football Club, the free events saw children aged between nine and 15 receive football, rugby, hockey and dodgeball coaching before competing in mini games.

They were held at Crewe Alexandra’s Soccer Centre in the town on Tuesday 5 April and at Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College the following day.

Sergeant Craig Hodson, of the Sandbach neighbourhood policing team, said: “The initiative continues to be a success, with a total of 138 schoolchildren attending over the two days.

“It has been rebranded as the County Cross Games for this year.

“Previously named Salt Wars – after the salt industry heritage of the areas involved in it – the initiative was devised in 2019 to help children stay active and healthy and have fun during the school holidays and to strengthen relationships and build up trust between young people and the police, in a bid to reduce anti-social behaviour and future offending.

“The events held by Cheshire Constabulary in collaboration with partner organisations are getting better and better, and the great turnouts at Crewe Alexandra’s Soccer Centre and at Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College were complemented by the fantastic attitudes of all the children taking part.

“They were a pleasure to coach and to watch playing games and having fun.

“The first two County Cross Games of 2022 were enjoyed by all involved, and the plan for the summer is for the events to be held at several towns across the east of Cheshire, including Sandbach, Middlewich, Holmes Chapel, Crewe, Alsager and Congleton.”

All of the participants received a certificate for taking part.

They were also given:

• A free lunch from the Crewe-based Wishing Well healthy living project
• A free drink from Morrisons’ Middlewich store
• A free pot of porridge from Mornflake, the longest established miller of oats and cereal in the UK.

A Star of the Day award was presented at each event.

The award winner in Crewe was 11-year-old Evie Morgan, and the Sandbach prize went to 13-year-old Wiktor Szczeplocki.

They both received an Easter egg supplied by the Morrisons store.

Sgt Hodson added: “I would like to thank Police Community Support Officers Tom Faulkner and Scott Watson for organising the events.

“I would also like to thank all the other PCSOs and officers at the Sandbach and Crewe neighbourhood policing teams who were involved on the event days, as well as the people at Premier League Kicks, Crewe Alexandra’s Soccer Centre, Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College, Wishing Well healthy living project, Morrisons’ Middlewich store and Mornflake.

“They all helped to make the events the big successes that they were.”

Pictured - Children enjoying dodgeball at the event at Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College.