The ceremony took place 2pm, with the ribbon being cut by the Mayor of High Peak, Councillor Stewart Gardner who was accompanied by the Mayoress, Melissa Gardner. Prior to this there had been a friendly tournament featuring teams from HPPC and Marple, New Mills, and Leek u3a’s. It was a closely fought competition but was narrowly won by HPPC who were presented with an inaugural trophy by the Mayor.
HPPC was founded thanks to the determination and enthusiasm of High Peak resident, Sue Vernon, who saw the need for an official pétanque facility in the area.
Originally a u3a pétanque group, the club has rapidly grown into an established entity, securing affiliation with Pétanque England and the Mercia region’s league. The aim is to build HPPC into a thriving club that welcomes social and competitive players alike. The club has installed a display board by the piste that outlines the principles of the game.
“We started as complete novices a couple of years ago, so it’s incredible to see how HPPC has flourished with our very own pistes,” says Sue Vernon. “This is just the beginning of our journey, and we look forward to making pétanque an accessible sport for everyone in the High Peak area.”
“We are grateful to Tarmac and High Peak Borough Council for the support they have given us”, adds HPPC Chair, Fiona McIntosh. “We hope many local people discover the joys of pétanque!”
Pétanque is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. A form of boules, the game originated in France over 100 years ago. The concept is simple - with the object being to get your boule closer to the jack than your competitor.
The aim of High Peak Pétanque Club (highpeakpetanqueclub@gmail.com) is to foster and encourage the playing of the sport in the High Peak community. Do get in touch if you’re interested in having a go!
