Community Focus: Chichester Falcons Baseball & Softball Club

Chichester Falcons Baseball & Softball Club are a community sports club providing baseball and softball to a wide range of ages and ability groups. Formed in 2011, the club has evolved from a group of friends into a successful competitive organisation, whilst maintaining an informal and enjoyable approach to the game.

Baseball and softball are a descendant of rounders, where players in the offensive team must hit the ball and run around a diamond of bases, whilst the defensive team tries to catch their hits or get them out on the bases.  In softball the ball is pitched underarm, whereas in baseball pitchers throw overarm.

In Chichester, youngsters aged 8-12 can play baseball at the club on Sunday mornings (starting in June). Juniors aged 12-16 play fastpitch softball on Thursday evenings (starting in May). Meanwhile the adults (16+) play slowpitch softball on Wednesday evenings (starting in April).

All sessions are played in a co-ed format, so boys and girls play together on an even field. The Chichester Falcons are passionate about getting more people from the community involved. Sessions are open to complete beginners, with all the equipment provided and qualified coaches on hand to guide you through the rules and skills needed to play the game.

This Summer you’ll be seeing a lot more of the sports on a global scale, as baseball and softball will both feature in the 2020 Olympics for the first time.



JOIN IN:

Slowpitch softball (16yrs+) - Starts in April on Wednesday evenings

Fastpitch softball (12-16) - Starts in May on Thursday evenings

Baseball (8-12) - Starts in June on Sunday mornings

FOR BOYS AND GIRLS

BEGINNERS WELCOME

ALL EQUIPMENT PROVIDED




You can read more about the club at www.chichesterfalcons.com


07890 192 409


chichesterfalcons@gmail.com



@Chichester-Falcons-Softball-Club

 @FalconsChi

Community Focus: Love Where You Live

Love Where You Live is a web resource for all ages focusing on leisure, learning and well-being within the Chichester community. Its concept is to be an all-inclusive directory embracing all aspects of living and working in the area, as well as providing comprehensive information for visitors.

The website launched in 2016 and now has hundreds of members (including both CRJ Lettings and the Chichester Property News). Having enriched residents’ lives with a wealth of activities available and helping visitors to get the best out of their time in the area, Love Where You Live won the Observer and Gazette award in 2018 for Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure.

It is free of charge to list on the online directory and allows businesses, clubs, societies, charities, artists, performers and freelancers to promote their activities. Each listing in the directory has its own ‘micro-site’ which can be edited at any time and to which events, news and special offers, promotions or competitions can be added.

As well as the website there is a regular newsletter that features upcoming events and promotes listings that will be of interest to Cicestrians. An active social media programme is also part of the project.

To add a listing to the online directory, or to sign up for the newsletter, visit www.lovechichester.net

@lovewhereulivecom

@LoveWhereULive2

@lovewhereyoulivechichester

07595 220358

Community Focus: Stonepillow

 Stonepillow’s annual fundraising event, The Big Sleep Out, takes place on Saturday 19th October in the grounds of Chichester Cathedral. The event kicks off with a live performance at 2:00pm, as everyone arrives to start building their cardboard shelters before putting them to the test for the night. Participants get sponsored to sleep out to raise vital funds for the charity and increase awareness of homelessness in the local area.

 

Stonepillow offers shelter, information and support that people need to make positive changes and find independent accommodation they can call home. The charity supports people 365 days a year in Chichester, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton and has 97 clients in their accommodation on any given evening.

Laura Bulbeck, PR & Events Manager said, ‘”The Big Sleep Out is a fantastic event which sees individuals, groups and businesses in the community coming together to help end homelessness. We encourage everyone to get involved, make a difference and help us to raise as much as possible.”

Stonepillow’s CEO, Hilary Bartle, added “As it is our 30th year we are keen to raise £30,000 to equal £1,000 for each year we have been open. This is important now more than ever as we see more people rough sleeping and vulnerable. Declining public funding means we have to do more for less each year.  £30,000 would enable us to provide more targeted support to the most vulnerable people on our streets and towards services that support them from street to a stable home.” 

  

The Big Sleep Out doesn’t aim to replicate homelessness but raises awareness and educates communities on the harsh realities of sleeping rough.

To join in with The Big Sleep Out please register at www.stonepillow.org.uk. It costs just £15 per person, which includes food and entertainment.

For more information about the charity, contact Stonepillow on 01243 537934 or admin@stonepillow.org.uk. 

Community Focus: Last Friday Club

The Last Friday Club is a FREE business networking meetup on the last Friday of each month, based at a variety of independent venues within Chichester.

Started in 2016 by Debbie Ford, owner of The Chichester Social, and Emily Perry, a local HR Consultant and founder of South Coast HR, there are now over 300 members of the Last Friday Club.

WHO IS IT AIMED AT?

Chichester-based:

●     Freelancers: professional or personal services, including digital, creatives, writers, tech etc.

●     Independent business owners or solo entrepreneurs: retailers and pop-up shops from Chichester and the surrounding areas, or individuals running their businesses from home (including CRJ Lettings!)

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The Last Friday Club is a little more informal than many other business networking clubs. It is Debbie and Emily’s aim that their members come away from each meetup with a renewed vigour and purpose for their business, having benefitted from the experience and the different perspective of other members.

There are typically over 40 attendees at each meeting, so you’ll be sure to fit in and find someone, or something, of interest. As well as informal networking (and coffee and pastries!) there is typically a speaker too, sharing their business experiences and knowledge.

This has led to many collaborations between members in the past three years. With an eclectic mix of people, you never know where your next opportunity could come from.

So, if you’re a freelancer or business owner in Chichester and would like to meet others who face the same challenges as you, come along to one of the free meetings on the last Friday of each month.

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NEXT MEETUP

Friday 31st May at Woodies - registration is essential, email for details

hello@thechichestersocial.com

Facebook: @LastFridayClubChi

Instagram: @LastFridayClubChi

Twitter: LastFridayChi

Community Focus: Chichester Falcons Softball Club

The Chichester Falcons Softball Club was formed in 2011 and has evolved into offering softball and baseball to a wide range of ages and ability groups, whilst maintaining its philosophy of having an informal and enjoyable approach to the game.

The younger players (7-11 year olds) now play baseball, which is a fast-paced sport descending from rounders, where players hit the ball and run around a diamond of bases, whilst the opposing team tries to catch or throw them out. The junior squad (11-16 year olds) progress to playing fast-pitch softball, which uses a larger ball than in baseball, making it easier to hit. Finally, the adults play slow-pitch softball, so the ball is pitched underarm, slowing the game down for the older legs, whilst allowing everyone to hit the ball hard!

All formats are played in a co-ed format, so that boys and girls play together on an even field. Whilst light-hearted in nature there is an outlet to get ultra-competitive, as a previous junior player demonstrated; now being part of the GB squad (baseball and softball will both feature in the 2020 Olympics for the first time).

It’s a great sport that is accessible to everyone and, as a club, the Falcons are passionate about getting more people from the community involved. There are no membership fees to be a part of the Falcons - sessions are on a ‘pay as you play’ basis, normally costing £3-£4, to cover equipment and field hire.

The Falcons have an ‘always recruiting’ policy, so there’s a session available for boys and girls of all ages. It’s open to complete beginners, with all the equipment provided and qualified coaches on hand to guide you through the sessions.


JOIN IN:
Slow-pitch softball (16yrs+) - Starts in April on Wednesday evenings
Fast-pitch softball (11-16) - Starts in May on Thursday evenings
Baseball (7-11) - Starts in June on Sunday mornings


You can read more about the club at www.chichesterfalcons.com.
Tel         07890 192 409
Email         chichesterfalcons@gmail.com
Facebook  @Chichester-Falcons-Softball-Club
Twitter         @FalconsChi