Lager Cricket Festival to support local family battling motor neurone disease

Thursday, 21 August 2025 10:43

By David Murphy

Members and players are looking forward to the Lager Cricket Festival, including Barry Kitchen, Steve Schofield, Wayne Jackson and Woodbank first team captain Lewis Dove

A cricket club in Bury is rallying around one of its own this bank holiday, hosting its first ever ‘Lager Cricket Festival’ to raise funds for a local man living with motor neurone disease.

Woodbank Cricket Club, based on Stafford Street in Brandlesholme, is holding the event in aid of the Minor family, whose children play for the club. The festival follows the success of the club’s Prosecco Cricket event earlier this year and will see teams of men, most of whom have never played cricket before, competing in a friendly match while raising money for vital home adaptations.

Paul Minor, a former firefighter and military serviceman, was diagnosed with MND in July 2022. The progressive condition affects the brain and spinal cord, gradually limiting his mobility and independence. Although some of the necessary adaptations to the Minor family's home are being supported by specialist charities, a significant funding shortfall remains. His wife Nicola launched an online fundraiser earlier this year to help close the gap.

The Lager Cricket Festival is set to take place on Bank Holiday Monday at 1pm. Teams of six can register for £30, with participants required to be men aged 18 or over who have never played cricket. Food stalls, a tombola, and a range of family games will be on offer throughout the day, with all proceeds going to support the Minor family.

Andrea Allcock, a member of the fundraising committee, said the club was determined to help:

“Woodbank Cricket Club is a great community with a family feel and we always come together to support our own. Paul, Nicola, Toby and Ben are valued members of the club and when we heard about the money they needed, we decided to do something about it.”

In the lead-up to the event, the club has also been running smaller fundraisers, including a raffle, ‘guess the weight of the cake’, and ‘guess the number of sweets in a jar’.

“All the volunteers, from scorers and umpires to bar staff and tombola runners, have really pulled together,” Andrea added. “We hope to see lots of people join us for a brilliant day out.”

Nicola Minor said the support of the club had been a huge emotional lift during a difficult time:

“MND is such a cruel disease. We now need to make essential adaptations to our home for Paul to remain as independent as possible but safe in his home. The financial stress this brings is enormous, but with the support of our fundraising and our Woodbank Cricket family, it takes so much stress away and enables us as a family to concentrate on being together and making as many memories as possible for our boys.”

“When we found out we were the chosen charity for Woodbank Cricket Club this year we were blown away. The generosity and kindness have meant the world.”

To take part or donate a raffle prize, residents can email woodbanklagercricket@gmail.com

To donate directly to the Minor family’s fundraising page, visit https://gofund.me/e62216b6