St Chad’s Broomfield Cricket Club, in Headingley, is planning to introduce table cricket and make the ground and pavilion wheelchair accessible.

The initiative was inspired by a dedicated fan, a wheelchair user with athetoid cerebral palsy, who had pledged to start the venture; sadly, he died last year at the age of 26, but the club is determined to honour his vision.

The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Abigail Marshall Katung, said: “St Chad’s is a wonderful club with a wonderfully inclusive vision for the future which will make sure that any person in Leeds will be able to take part in sport in a friendly, open, and welcoming environment.”

Dr Jane Powell, president of Yorkshire CCC and England’s disability cricket performance coach, said: “I am delighted to support and encourage everyone at St Chad’s in their drive to be the most inclusive cricket club.”

St Chad’s club chairman and co-founder of the project, Paul Berry, said: “We need to make structural adjustments to the pavilion, ensure that the ground is accessible to wheelchair users when wet, and arrange sponsorship for the new team.

“It is incredibly sad that our club member whose plan this was initially has passed away, but he was a Chad’s man through and through, and I know he still wanted his club to do this for others with disabilities.”

More information about the club is available at