Seascale Badminton Club is preparing for a reboot as it prepares for life in a new home venue for the 2023/24 season.
The club, which was formed in 1956, has had a few home courts since it started at Seascale New School and in the new season starting next month will be hosting their games at St Benedict’s School.
When they outgrew Seascale School they had a succession of home venues – playing at Pelham House Calderbridge, the Sports Hall Seascale, Sellafield, Sports Hall St Bees and West Lakes Academy in Egremont.
They had to play a few games last season at St Benedict’s when West Lakes wasn’t available but this season will play all matches at the school.
The move has coincided with a new committee taking over, and their aim is to grow the club membership, particularly with the relaunch of a junior section.
Originally Seascale was a large club, mainly due to the influx of Sellafield workers settling in Seascale. A key arrival was that of Jimmy Stewart who had moved to Seascale and as he was a national coach he started a junior club and his daughter Shona went on to play for the county and England.
Charged with organising a new junior section is Jordan Martin, who is looking forward to the challenge.
“Myself and a couple of other members are going to be gaining coaching qualifications over the next 12 months so that we can have a big recruitment drive for the following season.
“With the help of a county coach we plan to go into senior schools and try to attract youngsters to the game of badminton.
“I enjoyed badminton when I was at school and it was when I picked up an injury with Whitehaven rugby union club that I decided to start playing again. I’m now vice-captain of the club and involved in re-starting the junior section.”
Current chairman John Alderson and his wife Sue were responsible for launching the junior club over 10 years ago and it was very successful until COVID played a major part in its decline.
“I think we have a very exciting new committee, with some younger members, who are coming up with new ideas for the club which can take us forward in our new home,” he said.
Club president is Edith Hillary, who is 94 years young, and was a member of the original club when it started in the early 1950s and was based at the school in Seascale.
Seventy years on she retains a keen interest in the progress of the club’s seven teams – two men’s, two women’s and three mixed – competing in the West Cumberland Badminton Leagues.
Margaret Turner has been a member for 37 years and has held several key positions at the club in that time.
“It’s good that we have some younger members on the committee who have new ideas to take the club forward. Reviving the junior section will be a really positive step forward,” she said.
It has mainly been social badminton in recent years, with few Championship challenges, but in April two club members Joseph Alderson and Rachel Hamilton won a League Handicap tournament.
Both are products of the previous Junior Section at the Seascale club – a perfect advert for what can be achieved by encouraging youth.
