Sports in Axminster

Seaton Tennis Club resumed socially distant tennis as the lockdown lifted this week. Three of the club's courts were resurfaced during the enforced absence including a brand new astro turf court, already christened by some members, "The Paddling Pool". The spectacular blue and green combination brings the club right up to date with 21st century tennis court design.

Club Chairman Simon Prior said: "This is a really exciting development for the club and members are already enthusing about it.

BUSTLINGcentre-forward Shane Featherstone has taken over as manager of Lyme Regis Reserves.

Shane, a former Millwey Rise manager, has been playing for the Seasiders for the past three seasons and has taken charge of the team on a number of occasions.

Offwell FC 1970-71 and still no Silverware

By Dick Sturch

My Cricketing Memories – Part III

By Philip Evans

By Stuart Broom

By Dave Bruce

Great news - we have all booked in for our first competition at Axe Cliff Golf Club since second lockdown for Friday, December 4. Please Boris, let it happen and I'll vote for you again, or babysit, or clean your car - whatever it takes!

In the 1960s and 70s one name was synonymous with Offwell Football and Cricket Clubs - Roy Land. Roy was Offwell & Widworthy FC's long serving secretary, Offwell CCs fixture secretary and a very crafty spin bowler. All these roles he filled with an admirable enthusiasm.

Roy produced a weekly newsletter for the Football Club which he edited and printed at his own expense of time and money, although I am led to believe the 'duplicating machine' at the old Honiton RDC offices, where Roy was employed, was of great assistance. The first issue came out on September 28th 1968 which also coincided with my first season at the club after my move from Millwey Rise FC. I still have many of those newsletters and the following is Roy's introduction to the very first one he produced:

By Philip Evans

AlthoughI was a better footballer than cricketer, cricket was my number one passion as a young man. Not just playing the game but watching it as well.

By Dave Bruce

AT Axe Cliff Golf Club we are suffering from NGB (No Golf Blues) as many thousands are all over our beautiful country and no vaccine as yet.  We are all hoping and praying that good sense will prevail at end of this latest Lockdown. Certainly our captain Rob Grove does as he has already sent us a revised fixture list for December including matches against the ladies.

I came back from Dorset in the early Spring of 1965 after three years away. The agricultural machinery company I worked for in Dorset became South Western Farmers when it aquired East Devon Farmers and I was promoted to be their first machinery salesman in Devon.

We moved into Rakehill Cottage, whose postal address was Wilmington, although it was nearer Stockland Hill TV mast than the village. We rented it from Major Hatswell at Wylmington Hayes, one of several properties he owned locally. There was no electricity but this was promised to arrive within 12 months. The cottage's saving grace was an Aga which provided warmth, hot water and our cooking facilities. Illumination was by oil or tilley lamp, and the occasional candle when we ran out of paraffin.