SPORTS clubs in Wanborough received a welcome boost in membership following an annual sports open day.

This year’s Sports Open Day took place at Hooper’s Field at the weekend (May17).

Each year the recreation ground at Hooper’s Field is filled with various sports clubs based in the village eager to encourage people to sign up and join in.

Among the activities on offer were tennis, bowls, football and cricket workshops with professional coaches.

Visitors were also able to take part in a mini-fun run, zumba, and line dancing.

There was also a raffle, face painting, and a visit from a fire engine.

People wereable to enjoy a barbecue, ice creams and other refreshments and there was a raffle with many sports-related prizes. A total of £200 from the proceeds was given the Prospect Hospice.

Gary Sumner, the chairman of Wanborough Parish Council, who helped to organise the annual event, said: “It was a really good day, we were really lucky with the weather.

“The clubs all welcomed people and quite a lot of them also signed up and had lots of new members.

“It was also part of the LGA Tennis Week and there was quite a lot of interest in that too.

"There was also a presence from the boules club which is fairly new.”

He said the event was well attended, with people from further afield than Wanborough keen to find out more about the sports on offer.

“It was a really good event and it attracted quite a lot of people from Nythe and Covingham as well as from Wanborough, I think because they don’t have as many sports clubs as we do,” he said.

“In fact, half of my football team is from Nythe.”

The day was opened by MP Robert Buckland, with a raffle featuring sporting prizes including a signed Swindon Town match ball, two tickets for a Swindon Town game next season and a host of sporting accessories.

“The fun run was won by Tom Moore, but many others took part and took their running seriously,” Coun Sumner said.

“Bowls, tennis, cricket, boules (petanque) and football were all showcased with many new members attracted for all sports.

To find out more about the clubs and other events happening in Wanborough, email info@wanborough.info or visit www.wanborough.info.