On the penultimate day of the school term, the sun was shining and the crowds began to assemble on the outside sports courts. The long-awaited charitable match was a fully competitive, 40-minute game of netball between the Girls netball first team and the Year 13 Boys boarding house.

The two partner schools were ecstatic to finally have an event where the sexes could go face to face. To make the game fair, the Boys were given an hour-long training session before the match so that they could understand the rules of this ‘foreign sport’. Despite this training session, the Boys struggled with their footwork and contact, hence the Girls pulled away early on. Going into the last quarter, the Girls were winning 9-3. The Boys had lost sight of the bragging rights they foolishly thought they would earn if they had beaten us at our own game. None the least, the Boys put in the last of their efforts to give the Girls a frightening run for their money, with the final score being 12-9 to the Girls.

The event had a great atmosphere and was a brilliant way to end the term. To make it even better; the event raised £150 for Cardiac Risk in the Young which will contribute to Nell Hart’s ‘Hartbeat’ campaign which is raising money to host a heart screening in the Monmouth area next year. Cardiac Risk in the Young was chosen to be supported as it is a vital charity, especially to sporty youngsters. My cousin, Frank, was diagnosed with HCM 3 years ago, aged 15 after he attended a heart screening in Whitland, fund-raised for by the Dean Mason Memorial fund. With thanks to this diagnosis, Frank has recently been fitted with a defibrillator in his chest which has meant he has been able to continue his love of sport, which included playing in this joint netball game.

Nell Hart