Sheila Barraclough Shield

Early morning heavy rain and the forecast of more to come sadly forced the postponement of the inaugural competition for the Sheila Barraclough Shield on Sunday September 22.

Nevertheless a dozen or more of us gathered at the club and enjoyed a social morning in the company of Sheila’s husband Bernard. And when the rain cleared briefly four of us even managed a little tennis.

The plan now is to hold the tournament next spring – probably on the early May bank holiday monday.

The tournament  is intended to be an annual event and has been initiated to mark the contribution to the club of Sheila Barraclough, who was not only a founding member of the tennis club in 1977, but continued playing social tennis until shortly before she went into residential care at Anley Nursing Home, where she died last year.

Sheila’s contribution to the tennis club has also being commemorated with a new bench, provided by Sheila’s family, which is now sited by the entrance to the club house.