Preston Tennis Veterans serve ace for St Catherine’s Hospice during their 30th anniversary year

An annual tennis tournament attracting players from across Ribble and the Flyde has served St Catherine’s Hospice another ace – raising a record £800 for the charity during their 30th anniversary year.

The latest donation from the Preston Veterans Tennis Tournament takes the total raised for the Lostock Hall charity over the years to nearly £7,000.

The doubles tournament, sponsored by Baileys Financial Services in Whitestake and Barton Grange Garden Centre, is held between June and October, when club members over 45 from across the Ribble and Fylde leagues compete for the coveted trophy.

It started as an open event in 1985 – the same year St Catherine’s Hospice opened its doors – and proceeded to become both an open and handicap event in 1994. From 1992 the tournament was organised as a charity event, in support of the Lostock Hall hospice.

Organiser Anne Carter said: “The aim of the competition is to give players from the Ribble/Fylde clubs an opportunity to play social competitive tennis, meet new people and keep fit whilst helping St Catherine’s.

“I have been delighted with the number of entries this year and with the spirit in which the matches have been played. We had a particularly good finals day in October with some excellent tennis. Michelle Watts and Sue Liver of Goosnargh achieved their third successive win in the Open by beating Jo Charter and Libby Flintoff in a close final, whilst Helen Parrott and Dorothy Barrett of Lytham beat Jo and Libby in the handicap event in yet another exciting final.

“Broughton pair David Rainford and Elaine Lucas had a tense 3-setter, beating newcomers Kevan and Judith Buckley from Lytham to the mixed handicap event, whilst octogenarian Tim Threadgold, who played in the first Veterans tournament 30 years ago – when he won the Open Doubles with partner Clare Dodd – played in his last finals this year. Tim has certainly achieved his ambition to play competitive tennis until he was 80! He and partner David Rainford lost in the finals of the handicap event to brothers David and Michael Lucas.

“The feedback has been very encouraging for the continued success of the competition and again my thanks go to everyone who has taken part and especially to Michael Bailey and Guy Topping for their continued and very generous support.”

Emma Jacovelli,, fundraiser at St Catherine’s Hospice, accepted the donation on the charity’s behalf.

She said: “We’re very grateful for yet another wonderful donation from the Preston Veterans Tennis Tournament.

“It’s great to see people having so much fun raising funds for St Catherine’s Hospice, particularly during our special 30th anniversary year. The money raised will help us to be there for local people when it really matters most.”

Anyone interested in entering the competition in 2016 should email the organiser at prestonveteranstennis@gmail.com

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