Following on from the Article in the August edition of FCN about the story behind the names ‘Shaftsbury Park and The Dings Crusaders’, Geoff Haskett writes as follows: Reading in last month’s edition about the origins of the Dings Crusaders brought back many memories of the Dings. Pip n’ Jay Church ran their Saturday …

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Looking ahead to the New Season at ‘The Dings’ Well, the first of our pre season ‘friendlies’ gave us a very salutary lesson, Being hammered by the famous Pontypool in front of a big crowd, many of whom had travelled over the bridge and added to the great atmosphere. ‘Ponty’ play in the Welsh …

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Run leader Julie shares her running story and talks about how her participation in the sport has inspired 3 generations of her family to take part. “I started running when our local ladies running club started up as a bit of a joke, really not expecting to continue for long but things changed, and I realised that …

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As I write this article, the Ground is extremely busy with two matches being played most days, and so much credit for that going to our dedicated volunteer Grounds Team. The 1st Xl continue to make solid progress into the second half of the season, while the 2nds, 3rds, 4ths and new 5th Xl are also faring well, giving …

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Last year DFTC members were sharing with me, while we were playing tennis, their yearnings to get away and have fun. They were suggesting group visits to spa weekends and tennis retreats. So it was decided to see if any of the tennis women fancied a trip to The 2022 Rothesay International Eastbourne Tennis Tournament …

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The ‘Pre Season Friendly’ season is upon us, a time to hone our new moves and welcome new players. All the hard work of the previous summer recess is now put to the test. I remember ‘in my day’, our warm up run involved running up and down the slope to the Dower House. Things are much more …

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While Frenchay adapts to a major transformation with the development of the former Hospital site, it remains a village very conscious and proud of its special history. So too it is with the Dings Crusaders who have brought the excellent facility of Shaftsbury Park to Frenchay, but always respecting the episodes of …

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June was a really busy month at the Club for all of our Teams, although in the later stages, the weather pattern turned rather unpredictable, with the occasional showers provided additional challenges for the Groundstaff and Team Managers, with last minute postponements. The 1st Xl are keeping pace at the upper end of …

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I joined Downend and Frenchay tennis club 4 years ago when I moved to Bristol from North Devon. I didn’t know many people when I first arrived in the city so, having played tennis when I was younger, I decided to join a tennis club. I was a bit apprehensive as I wasn’t sure if the club would be as enjoyable …

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To take running kit on holiday or not. That is a question many of us face if we’re fortunate enough to get away when we are packing for our holidays. For some it is the perfect opportunity to explore new places and enjoy the experience without the usual distractions of day-to-day commitments. For others, the trainers …

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