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A Newry-born pool player who became the youngest female World Champion at the age of 18 has launched a new community interest company aimed at improving access to cue sports and darts.
Emma Cunningham, who went on to win six World Championship titles, founded Eights and Arrows Pathways CIC to create opportunities she wished had been easier to access when she was starting out.
Eights and Arrows Pathways is focused on using cue sports and darts to support participation, personal development and opportunity. The organisation has a particular commitment to women and girls, young people, disabled participants and aspiring players, as well as people who face financial or practical barriers to accessing sport in Ireland and the UK.
The organisation's work includes coaching and mentoring, equipment support, community sessions, volunteering, an Equipment Bank and, as funding develops, bursary and access support.
Cunningham said the Equipment Bank was particularly important to the organisation, with the aim of ensuring unwanted or unused cues, darts and other suitable sporting equipment are donated, refurbished or redistributed wherever possible rather than sitting unused while another person cannot afford to participate.
Cunningham said that although her sporting career had taken her to many different places, Newry is where she was born, and she would love this next chapter to begin and create opportunities for people in the community she came from.
