It was a carnival atmosphere at Penygaer on Saturday. (Jul 8) as thousands of people turned up for the Evans and Williams Junior Football Festival. Never mind ‘footfall’, this was football crazy. At least 700 children were registered to take part in 12 minute games on pitches spread across the recreation fields. The event started at around 9am and finished just after 6pm.
Families began turning up at around 8.30 am on a gloriously sunny day. The organisers made sure there was plenty of entertainment available for those not kicking the ball around. Families came prepared with picnic blankets and deck chairs. There was plenty of tea, coffee, pop. slush puppys, burgers and hot dogs available as catering trailers were on hand.
This really was a wonderful fun, family event, which drew in the crowds at a venue less than half a mile away from the town centre. The issue of playing fields and grass rots sport has been in the limelight over the last couple of years as the County Council attempted to offload some of their assets. What this festival proved is that when available fields like Llanerch and Penygaer are not only invaluable to families (where else could 700 children play football at the same time?) but to the town itself as visitors from as far afield as the Rhondda Valley turn up to take part and spend their money in the town.
Judging by the comments we heard following the event Evans and Williams can be very proud of hosting this wonderful family sporting event. Results are available via the Evans and Williams website Photographs from the event can be viewed on this website by visiting the password galleries and entering the password: football
Editor
From Llanelli Wales. Worked in education and media for most of my career. Now working as a freelance journalist. Interested in World events, politics, education. Specialist area is social and journalistic photography.
