Child actress backs Coppice as campaign gathers pace

BY Admin February 2, 2025

A former child actress has backed White Coppice Cricket Club’s campaign to raise £150,000.

Caroline Dakin was known as Caroline Smith when she appeared in the second series of the 1994 TV show Sloggers.

The show was written by legendary darts commentator Sid Waddell and launched the TV career of actor Ralf Little.

It was filmed at White Coppice’s picturesque ground and Dakin still remembers her first visit when she was 12.

“It literally took my breath away,” she recalled. “Filming at White Coppice remains one of my best childhood memories. It was a magical time.

“Although I didn’t exactly leave with a newfound skill for cricket, I definitely felt the passion and love everyone had for the place.”

Dakin had never played a game of cricket in her life until her appearance in Sloggers.

“I’d been chosen to play one of the girls on the team, Melanie – who was, as I later learned, named after Sid Waddell’s ex-girlfriend, the writer of Sloggers,” she said.

“Luckily, my dad and brother both played cricket, so they gave me a few lessons before filming started. Still, I don’t think it really prepared me for the experience.

“Fortunately, we had a South African cricket professional with us at all times to guide us.

“When I first arrived at White Coppice, it literally took my breath away. I had no idea places like this still existed – it was like stepping back in time.

“We filmed there for eight weeks, with all the kids staying at the Bolton Moat House Hotel during the week and going home on weekends to see our families.

“I lived in a room next door to Ralf Little, and we had an absolute blast, running wild and trying to escape the watchful eye of our chaperone, Jenny. She had her hands full!

“There were other familiar faces in the cast too, including Jane Danson, who later became known for her role (as Leanne Battersby) in Coronation Street, and Jeremy Bulloch, who played Boba Fett in Star Wars. Geoffrey Boycott even made a cameo!

“One of the biggest challenges of filming at White Coppice was getting all the outside broadcast vans, catering huts, and the coach up the winding, narrow road. I can still remember it like it was yesterday – the drive up the lane, buzzing with excitement for another day of filming… and pretending I knew how to play cricket!

“As for my character, Melanie, she hit a six at the end of the match, and we won. It took many takes to get it just right. In the end, the cricket professional had to stand only about two feet away and lob the ball at my bat. Creative camera work was definitely required!”

In terms of her own acting career, Dakin appeared in the Granada TV productions Josie Smith and Knight School and was down to the last three to play Nicky Platt’s girlfriend in Coronation Street but was pipped to the post.

Today she runs two companies. The first is called Caroline Dakin Associates and is a training company specialising in leadership, resilience and team collaboration.

The second company is called The Resilience Retreat and offers residential retreats in The Lakes to leadership teams – combining resilience workshops, yoga, outdoor pursuits and open water swimming.

Dakin said she knew she had to do something when she saw White Coppice’s campaign to raise £150k in its 150th anniversary year to safeguard its future.

The club’s GoFundMe campaign currently stands at £2,859. To contribute go to www.gofundme.com/f/white-coppice-cricket-club-raise-ps150k-in-our-150th-year