kathryn pearn
Community and Voluntary Action, Sport
1965 -
Suggested by Sam Donaghy
Sam writes,
“This wonderful woman set up the Panda’s Netball Club with her daughter Hannah which she has run up until her recent cancer diagnosis. The members gather once a week at Lanivet Community Centre.
Kath is especially important to me and other women of a certain age - as well as a few younger ladies – because of the stroller netball groups she runs that enable people to play walking netball. The Pandas are just one of the groups that Kath runs in Cornwall. She brings together women who have been going through a tough time, are isolated, lonely, have injuries, are recently bereaved - the list goes on. In the hour that we play all that is forgotten. We focus on the game, have fun and socialise. It’s addictive for the way it makes you feel good!!
Kath herself was recently bereaved and is currently undergoing treatment but every session she is still there for us making sure we are all Ok!!”
In 2022 Kathryn received the Netball South West award for Inclusion for her work with the Pandas which involves all ages, abilities and is trying to make netball affordable for all.