Whitehaven Cricket Club stage event in memory of popular sportsman

Whitehaven Cricket Club staged the popular seven-a-side Ged Blaney Memorial Trophy over the bank holiday weekend.

It’s the sixth year the club has held the competition in memory of the popular Whitehaven sportsman who played for St. Benedict’s rugby union and Whitehaven rugby league. His son Luke plays cricket for Whitehaven.

The event gets bigger every season and this time 24 teams took part. They consisted of players with an age range of 8-70 years old – there was also a record number of ladies and girls participating.

The competition was won by Nets Lads and Dads, a team consisting of club juniors and their fathers who defeated past winners Kells ARLFC in the final.

The plate final saw Whitehaven RUFC beat Chungus in an excellent game. The men’s player of the competition was Nick Twinn with Laura Reid claiming the female equivalent while the junior awards were won by Ellis Dixon and Maddie Wood.

The event raised over £12,000 for The Henderson and Loweswater Suites at the West Cumberland Hospital.

A special mention should go to Kerry Stewart who has been a patient on the Henderson Suite and she personally raised over £7,000. Kerry’s Dad Ian Halcrow, along with Adam McGarry, Leo Sanczuk, Bill Hilton and Sam Agnew also had their heads shaved which resulted in a further £750 being raised.

The Blaney family is extremely grateful to everyone who donated prizes, worked behind the scenes or took part in the event but it would not have been possible without the support of the following: