The Croquet Association rebrands as Croquet England and gains charitable status
- Published
Croquet enjoyed a rise in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic
Croquet's governing body has gained charitable status as part of a modernisation and rebrand from the Croquet Association to Croquet England.
Croquet England hopes the change will enable the sport to be recognised by funding agency Sport England and "engage with wider audiences".
Marketing director of Croquet England Paul Hetherington said the sport is "diverse, accessible and fun".
"There are over 200 clubs in England and everyone is welcome," he added.
"Men line up against women, children play against pensioners and people with disabilities can take on able-bodied opponents.
"Many people think croquet is only enjoyed by rich people playing on the lawns of stately homes, but it's one of our most misunderstood sports. It's inclusive, easy to pick up and truly levels the playing field."
Croquet was an Olympic sport in 1900 and more recently interest in the sport grew during the lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
