Churches unite for free World Cup-themed community weekend

More than 100 volunteers from seven churches will come together later this month to host a free World Cup-themed community weekend in Caerphilly.

The Ultimate Goal, taking place on Owain Glyndŵr Fields from June 26 to 28, will feature football challenges, inflatable attractions, live worship and family activities, with organisers hoping to attract more than 1,000 people across the three-day event.

Held on the fields off Crescent Road in the heart of the town, the weekend is open to people of all ages and aims to bring the community together through a range of free activities.

Organisers have planned a series of events across the three days:

• Friday (6.30pm to 8.30pm): A youth event for 11 to 16-year-olds featuring games and prizes.
• Saturday (2pm to 6pm): A football-themed afternoon with football challenges, a football roadshow, inflatable attractions and a barbecue.
• Sunday (11am to 2pm): A service featuring live worship and a guest speaker, followed by The Big Lunch, where families are invited to bring a picnic and spend time together.

Previous events have attracted more than 1,000 people from across the borough, and organisers are hoping for a similar turnout this year.

Pastor Steve Harris, part of the organising team, said: “It all began in 2021 during lockdown, when a few of the churches in Caerphilly wanted to provide an outdoor family fun event for families who were in the midst of restrictions. In 2022 this grew into what has become an annual event.

“The first year was based around the Queen’s Jubilee, then the Coronation, and it continued in 2024 and 2025 because the churches could see that a free annual family fun event was meeting a need in our local community – and the churches loved joining together to make it happen.”

Mr Harris said the event is designed to be accessible to everyone, regardless of whether they attend church, and encouraged local residents to come along and take part in the weekend’s activities.