Woodbank Cricket Club was bowled over by the turnout to its annual Christmas party with almost 50 children enjoying the yuletide fun.  


Families from the Brandlesholme community came together to celebrate the festive season, enjoying a jam-packed afternoon at the Stafford Street club.  

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The club opens its doors to its younger members and the wider community every year at Christmas and the 2022 event was said to be a huge success.  

Bury Times: Four-year-old Frankie Joe Speirs with Captain Dan at the Woodbank Cricket Club Christmas partyFour-year-old Frankie Joe Speirs with Captain Dan at the Woodbank Cricket Club Christmas party (Image: Public)

Club chairman, Martyn Ward, was delighted with the turnout.  

He said: “We love organising the children’s Christmas party every year and we were really pleased to see so many families attending.  

“It’s always fantastic to see the smiles on the children’s faces when they see Santa and we’d like to thank him for stopping off at Woodbank during this busy time of year.   

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“Thanks must also go to the team of volunteers who made sure the party was such a success – clubs like ours couldn’t function without the amazing support we receive from our volunteers.  

“We’re already planning our next events and we’d love to see the community getting involved in 2023.”   

Bury Times: Frankie Joe Speirs meets SantaFrankie Joe Speirs meets Santa (Image: Public)

Santa was kept busy with a steady stream of visitors, with 47 children sharing their Christmas wishes and receiving a gift.   

There was entertainment on the day from Captain Dan, who brought his own brand of magic, dancing and games.   

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A buffet lunch was served up to the youngsters and their families and there were party games, a raffle and a name-the-teddy game.   

Tickets were sold in the run-up to the event, with the party a sell-out.  

Woodbank supplements the cost of the party every year as a thank you to families for their support throughout the year.