Free activities and chance to get into the Commonwealth Games at Merry Hill's pop-up stadium

Merry Hill has set up its own pop-up stadium in the heart of the centre in the Lower Mall near M&S to celebrate the Commonwealth Games.

The brand-new events space will host an 11-day long programme featuring a host of activities and events which aims to encourage visitors to join in and have fun getting active.

It was launched on Thursday with a day of cricket-related activities, with youngsters and adults alike being able to have a go at speed catching, fielding and batting drills organised by Worcestershire Cricket Club.

There was also an opportunity for those attending to meet Eve Jones, star of Central Sparks, Birmingham Phoenix and Warwickshire Country Cricket Club, who did a meet and greet and demonstrated some of her skills.

She said the pop-up stadium was a great opportunity for people across the West Midlands to come and try out cricket and other sports and enjoy the Games.

She said: "It's great to have this opportunity available at Merry Hill for lots of people to come down and give cricket a try and get them involved in the game going forwards.

"T20 cricket being part of the Games is great as it gives it a chance to be more visible for young people starting out their journey with sport and it's also the first time the women's game has been involved in the Commonwealth Games with cricket.

"Hopefully, some of the young people from today will start playing cricket and begin going to enjoy games at Edgbaston and, you never know, there might be some youngsters from today who could be at the Games in the future."

Dudley South MP Mike Wood was also in attendance and took the opportunity to bowl a few balls to Eve, as well as having a go at some of the drills.

He said it was a fantastic initiative and part of the legacy to what the Commonwealth Games can leave in the region.

He said: "As we know, Birmingham 2022 isn't just about 11 fantastic days of sport, it's also about the legacy we leave after the Games and getting children involved in a variety of sport every day here at Merry Hill free of charge will make a big difference.

"It does make people feel like they're part of the Commonwealth Games as well by realising it's not just a thing that's happening on TV, but a thing that they can come along and try and maybe take it further.

"The Games are the biggest multi-sport international event ever held in the West Midlands and I think it's got a huge role in putting the West Midlands, and the Black Country in particular, on the map."

The programme of events at Merry Hill will run until Sunday, August 7, running between 11am and 3pm, with people able to relax on deckchairs afterwards to watch the sport on a big screen.

For the full list of activities and timings, go to mymerryhill.co.uk/whats-on/merry-hill-at-the-games-events