Over the last few weeks it has been welcome to see the return of live sport to our screens, even if spectators can’t be present. Sport is a great way of bringing people together, whether through watching professionals in action, or participating ourselves to keep fit and meet with other people. The return of sport is another welcome sign of the progress our country is making.
It was disappointing that non-league football was cancelled, particularly with Halesowen Town just one tie away from Wembley in the FA Trophy, which I am hopeful they will get a chance to resume. The return of Premier League and Championship football was however welcome, and it has turned out to be a relatively successful season for our local clubs, even if Baggies and Villa fans were left without fingernails on their respective final days!
One of my main favourite pastimes is cricket, and like all fans of the sport I have missed not being able to play or watch as much of it as I usually would this year, but I have welcomed the return of the international tests and the county championships in recent weeks. I’m sure we can all agree that live sport without fans present is not the same, and I hope that if we continue making progress then it will soon be safe for spectators to return.
The return of the Premier League saw some fixtures being broadcast live on the BBC, the first time in over thirty years that top-flight football has been broadcast free-to-air. This resulted from pragmatic discussions between the league, broadcasters and the Government, making the sport more accessible and hopefully inspiring more people to get active. It’s important in these difficult times to find ways of improving our health and fitness and getting active through something as simple as walking can have great health benefits as well as helping the NHS in the long term.
For my part, I have been a keen runner over the last few years and took part in the London Marathons in 2018 and 2019, and during the lockdown I have continued Marathon training in the hope that we will be able to go ahead on the rescheduled date in October. I know that running may not be everyone’s ideal form of exercise, but I find it a good way of refreshing and recharging as well as keeping fit.
We have many great gyms, parks and outdoor spaces in Halesowen & Rowley Regis, and vast acres of countryside just over the border, so whatever works for you I hope that you are able to find a way of keeping fit and healthy.
This article first appeared in Halesowen & Dudley News on 6th August 2020.
