Bobcats hold training evening for local Youth Club

At the end of September the Birmingham Bobcats Softball Club held a training evening for the Waterworks Safe Haven Youth Club.  The event was organised in conjunction with Edgbaston Police and assisted by BSUK. 

The Safe Haven Youth Club is run by PCSO Martin Clarke and caters for children of all ages on the Waterworks estate in inner-city Birmingham.   The club offers a retreat where children can get involved in a range of activities from horticulture to drama and now softball.  Twelve years ago the Waterworks Estate was considered a ‘no-go’ area, where prostitution, drug dealing, burglaries, extortion, car thefts and anti-social behaviour were rife.  However, due to the work of the Birmingham South West Group and West Midlands Police, the estate is now a nationally recognised example of community cohesion.  The Bobcats were keen to become more involved in their local community and in the spring of 2011 they contacted the Youth Club to offer assistance.  Their suggestion was immediately snapped up and preparation began to organise the training evening. 

On the 29^th September, the Bobcats were joined by fifteen children ranging from 4 to 14 years.  The kids burst on to the field full of excitement, energy and enthusiasm.  Only a couple had heard of baseball before, never mind softball, but after a few minutes introduction with Will Lintern, Regional Coach and Club Development Officer from BSUK, they were fully prepared and eager to start play. Despite the light drawing in Will, with Reinout Mildner and Kate Page-Smith from the Birmingham Bobcats, were able to lead the kids through two successful innings. 

Everyone involved had a great time and the Bobcats were very pleased that they were able to contribute to their local community and hope to hold similar events next season.  Sergeant Michael Richards from Edgbaston Police declared the event as a huge success - The kids loved it. I can't thank you enough for allowing us to come down and putting on such a great event. Definitely looking forward to doing it again next season.