Much ado about Wenlock...
When Wenlock and Mandeville were unveiled as the 2012 Olympic mascots, the little Shropshire town of Much Wenlock was thrust into the limelight. For it was here that the modern Olympic Games were born. And it was also here that a council coup took place to save the town’s cricket club!
® I Laurence Gale MSc reports
f something’s worth doing then do it yourself. That is Tim Pinches’ motto and, true to his word, he has put this into practice by transforming the fortunes of his local cricket club whilst, at the same time achieving a life changing experience of becoming the Mayor of his town, Much Wenlock in Shropshire. When the retired farmer found his beloved cricket club in dire straits, through lack of facilities and poor ground maintenance, and hardly any support from the town coucil, Shropshire Council and Bridgnorth District Council he, along with six others, decided to stand for election to improve the way the town was being run. This new group of people were all elected, and vast improvements are now evident in the town and, needless to say, the cricket club now has more support. After just a couple of years in office, Tim found himself serving as Mayor in 2009-2010.
All this in the town where the modern Olympic Games, as we know them, started. The town, with a population of just over 2,600, is soon to become known worldwide with the recent
introduction of the London 2012 Olympics’ mascots, one of which is called ‘Wenlock’. Strongly supported by former Olympic gold medal triple jumper, Jonathan Edwards, and former 5,000 metres world record holder and now head of British Athletics, David Moorcroft, the town also believes it will play host to the Olympic torch - an incredible honour for this most modest little town. It has also been suggested that
Tim, because of his knowledge and love of sport, should be Mayor again during Olympic year.
Much Wenlock abbey predates
William the Conqueror, and the town itself has buildings dating back to 1540. But the story of the modern Olympics began here. A local doctor, William Penny Brookes, started an annual athletics meeting. This became so popular it reached the ears of Baron de Coubertain, who visited the doctor to see the games and took the idea away with him. The rest of the story, as they say, is history. To this day, the priceless documents relating to what was the inspiration and founding of today’s Olympic games are still
in the possession of the town. Now the council are trying to raise the money to create an Olympic museum in Much Wenlock. Much Wenlock Cricket Club has been at the heart of the community since 1870 and, for well over one hundred years, has played on the town’s Gaskell Field, next door to where the Wenlock Olympic Games were first held in 1850, the same year the first cricket match was played in the town. But, despite its sporting inheritance, the village cricket club had declined in recent times. Tim, who had retired from farming after a heart attack and a coronary by-pass put an end to his working life, took the opportunity to help revive the club’s fortunes. With just twelve playing members and a ground that had long been neglected, he sought the assistance of friends, including the club’s current vice- chairman, Mike Grace. Between them they wrestled control from the county council, first, by taking over the maintenance of the square and, subsequently, the outfield.
“I never put in less than a
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