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Woman celebrates new pétanque pitch after campaign

Luke Deal,Becclesand
Shariqua Ahmed
Luke Deal/BBC Michelle, a woman with short white hair. She is wearing a cream jacket and is holding two metal silver boules in her hand. She has grey hair and is wearing a red poppy on her lapel. Behind her is a sanded boules pitch. Luke Deal/BBC
Michelle Golding said the game has really "rolled on" in the region

A woman's seven-year effort to bring a slice of France to her town has been realised following the opening of a £20,000 pétanque pitch.

Michelle Golding, from Beccles, Suffolk, led a campaign to create a venue to play the French game, which has links to Beccles' twin town of Petit-Couronne in Normandy.

The project faced setbacks, such as the original playing site being regularly flooded, with years of planning and fundraising taking place to see the pitch at Beccles Quay built.

"Seeing the new pitch finally here is quite emotional. So many people and organisations have helped us reach this point, and I'm immensely grateful to everyone," Golding, from the Beccles Twinning Association, said.

"It has never just been about playing a game. It has always been about bringing people together and I'm absolutely thrilled that we now have this wonderful, sustainable facility for everyone to use," she added.

Krista Booker Members involved in the project including town mayor, dressed in the ceremonial red coat, are standing in a semi-circle, smiling for the camera. The mayor is throwing a silver metal boule in the air. The group are standing between the flags for the UK and France. Krista Booker
The £20,000 pitch will be open to the public from April

Pétanque, a type of boules game, is played by throwing metal balls as close as possible to a smaller target ball.

Similar to bowls, it is popular because people of different ages and abilities can play together.

Pétanque England said its membership has risen by 29% since 2023.

Players from Beccles hope the new venue will encourage more people to take up the game and help strengthen community ties through regular social and competitive events.

Deborah Baker, from the Suffolk Coastal Pétanque Alliance, said: "It [the game] will reach out to people who are lonely and want a social life."

The construction of the new facility was financially supported by charities and public funding bodies, including Sport England, and Beccles Town Council funded the plans and surveys.

Sheryl Rumble, a Green Party councillor who represents Beccles and Worlingham on East Suffolk Council, said: "Beccles' long-standing relationship with Petit-Couronne is a testament to the hard work of the Beccles Twinning Association, the town council and the residents of Beccles."

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