Morecambe Cricket Club to host festive darts open for charity

Morecambe Cricket Club will host a darts open next week to raise money for a charity close to the organiser’s heart.

The Castle Darts Open 2022, sponsored by Castle Landscapes and Driveways, will be hosted by the club next Tuesday (December 27).

The yearly event is the last of three darts opens that have taken place at Morecambe Cricket Club this year, the other two were held at Easter and in summer.

The club’s manager Damien Gilhespy told Beyond Radio that there are “40 or 50 people interested and with it being Christmas, that’s a good amount”.

The individual-player open is the first event on the day, with a £500 prize fund, then a ladies only event will follow later in the day.

The event is all in aid of St John’s Hospice, and there is a personal reason why Damien chose the charity for his events. Eight years ago, his sister-in-law Emma died of tongue cancer just hours after getting married at the hospice’s chapel in Lancaster. “It’s very close, I’ve never changed from donating to the hospice.”

Since he started to raise funds for the charity through events with Morecambe CC just after Emma sadly died, around £5,200 has been raised.

The open was previously sponsored by Lloyd South Lakes but this year Castle Landscapes and Driveways have taken over.

“I’d just like to thank them. The company owner Brian Samuels was really interested in sponsoring us, he’s a member of the club and he does a lot for the club.

“Also, a special thank you to Trevor Jenkinson for all of his help with running these events.”

You can arrive at the cricket club on December 27 from 11.30am and registration is open until 12.45pm with the first game starting at 1pm. The entry fee is £6 before the event and £8 on the day, with £5 of every fee going to St John’s Hospice.

To register for the event, either email dartsdamo@hotmail.com, text Damien on 07572 626255 or ring Morecambe Cricket Club (after 7pm) on 01524 418192.