Truro Squash players, on tour since 1987!

Since that groundbreaking club trip to Torquay in 1987 around 22 major tours have been organised and enjoyed by over 100 different members to this date. Some have been victorious, most descended into good natured social fun and others were even expanded to include football as well as squash: but every single adventure was a mighty success and forms an important part of our club's history and development.

The tradition commenced in '87 with then club chair Tony Raftery, Dave Bradley, Jeremy Gimson, Clive Martin, Greg Mayhew and Jacko Sanders. These club pioneers forged the strong links with Torquay Squash club which remain to this very day. Other venues such as Newton Abbot, Derby and even Vanne in France have been wonderful additions at various times, but the Torquay tour has always remained priority No.1! From 1994 former club chair Martin Braithwaite expertly put these Torquay tours together for an ever increasing number of club members to enjoy. Indeed since 1994 the Torquay event has been a near yearly run extravaganza, with over 20 players regularly making the trip and competing for Squash bragging rights over our Devon friends. From Trevor Lee's amazing ability not to sleep all weekend,  to Anna Sendall unable to play due to a drink induced fall, to completely “taking over” the Seaways hotel, to Dave Biglin turning up on the wrong weekend, to camera throwing incidents involving Barnaby Smith and Jamie Moxom – the memories and the fun times have piled up in blissful abundance.

Martin Braithwaite recalls that it was trip no 18 in 2013 when a competitive football match was added for the first time to all the squash activities. 16 players lost 5-11 in the squash and narrowly 2-3 in the football but record nos of pints were still enjoyed by all. Indeed our winning record on the sporting side of the weekends hasn't always been wonderful, but particular attention should be paid to our best ever margin of victory, a 10-2 win back in 2003 which Martin clearly puts down to all the extra training the team did following Peter Nicol (World no1) visiting Truro a month earlier!

To date the last Torquay trip was in 2016 when although we were just nipped by the Devon boys at Squash, it culminated in an exceptional 7-7 draw in the football and the news that Torquay had somehow mysteriously managed the loose the trophy anyway - so morally it should be ours to this very day!

A massive thanks to Martin Braithwaite for organising all these wonderful tours and clearly adding to the history and even mytholgy of our club activities. To everyone who participated in these events over the years and especially to our friends who have sadly passed away during this time – Thankyou for representing Truro Squash & Leisure Club with such passion and pride.