IF you want to be involved in a sporting and friendly atmosphere then Liskeard Sports Club at Lux Park, is the place to go. And more than 500 adult members plus juniors aged from 13 upwards, are proof of the venue's popularity, not only in the town, but also in the surrounding district.

The Sports Club was born out of an idea by two founder members Dave Rawlings, the president since 1988, and the late Peter Whell. The pair had been driving to Plymouth to sign up players for Liskeard AFC. 'We were driving through Landrake at the time' recalls Dave, 'when Peter and I decided that Liskeard should have a proper base for all its sportsmen and women'.

They went on to call a public meeting to see if there was enough interest, which was followed by an inaugural meeting, chaired by a cricketer, the late Gerry Cowling. From then on the organising committee was run by the late Ald Mrs Joyce Crabb who became the club's first chairman when it opened in 1968, after five years of fundraising.

Facilities for sport had come a long way since footballers used to change in a disused slaughterhouse in Addington Road. They lost this facility when the road to St Cleer was widened, so they transferred to a prefab which the town council fitted out with showers. This went when the new Liskeard Secondary Modern School was built, so the footballers were on the transfer list again - this time to the Cricket Pavilion!

Permanent home

However, when the club doors opened it provided the sporting fraternity with a permanent home for the first time. There was a large sports bar with four changing rooms underneath, but it soon became apparent that the popularity of the place called for more room and eventually the smart lounge bar was added, together with its own attractive entrance. Squash courts were also built and a walk along the top gallery connects the club to the large Lux Park Leisure Centre next door.

The new extension was officially opened by Sir Robert Hicks, a keen cricket fan, in 1973, and he was invited back as the main guest when the club celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1998.

Walk into the club now on any evening, and you will usually find people from all aspects of sport enjoying a companionable drink, mulling over the latest results or watching sports events on the three TV's. Some days are busier than others, but on Saturdays, the place is packed with people enjoying the social scene during and after home football and rugby matches, and in the summer months - cricket.

The present club managers are Menheniot couple Di and Maurice Gardner who took over last August on the retirement of Pam Barrett, who had been in charge for the previous ten years. They have settled in well, and Di, who has been in bar work all her working life, says they are really enjoying the friendliness of the place. 'We knew a lot of the sports people already, especially the rugby players' said Di, 'so we felt at home right away'.

Still helping out at busy times is Pam's husband Tony, while the regular staff are Gill Randle, who has been at the club for 20 years, and Angie Kurn who has been there for eight years. Every year Gill presents the Jim Randle Trophy in memory of her late husband, to the junior club member of the year, the holder for 2000/1 being 15 year old Simon Terry, an award in which all club members get a vote.

Simon, an all rounder, plays cricket, rugby, pool and skittles, and is the son of present chairman since 1995, Roger Terry. Roger reports the club is doing well and stresses you don't have to be involved in sport to be a member. 'Anyone can join' he says, 'the Sports Club is an ideal place for people who simply like to watch and talk about sport, or just want somewhere relaxing and friendly to enjoy a drink'. And talking of drink, both bars have an excellent range and serve up Worthingtons for a very reasonable £1.60 pint. There are also guest real ales the regulars being London Pride and Old Speckled Hen.

In the large sports bar, where the wooden floor is ideal for dancing, there is now disco equipment and the venue is popular for private parties, and also wedding receptions for up to 100, the club staff being capable of producing delicious spreads from the modern kitchen.

The club leases its football, cricket and rugby pitches from Caradon Council, on which there is much activity during the various sporting seasons.

Among the teams affiliated to the club are Liskeard AFC (The Blues), currently flying high in the S W League, and the second team, who are top of East Cornwall Premier League. Then there is Liskeard/Looe Rugby Club of which the 1st team are doing well in Cornwall One and the 2nd team who are also showing some good form. Added to this is the Junior Rugby Club, which has teams from the minis at Under 7's ranging right up to Colts at Under 18's, with more than 150 boys, making it the largest and most successful youth rugby club in the county. There is also a large contingency from the Cricket, Tennis and Hockey Clubs. Also affiliated is Liskeard Town Council.

On top of this are other various sporting activities which use the premises as their headquarters, including the club's own Sports Ladies darts team, two skittles teams, who are The Ladybirds, captained by Rose James, plus the Hits and Misses, captained by Roger Terry, and the pool team, playing in the Liskeard League on Sunday nights. There is also a good smattering of squash players.

Quiz team

The club also has an outstanding quiz team, which last night (Thursday) was preparing to represent Cornwall in the South West finals of the Bass Club Quiz Competition. If the team - Tim Gillard, John Hanns and rugby coaches extraordinaire, Roger Gailer and Mike Strand -were lucky enough to win, they would have scooped £1,000 and a trip to Amsterdam!

If you walk past the sports bar on a Monday night heading towards the lounge, you will hear the mellow tones of the Liskerret Choir, who have also made the club their headquarters, and have their photograph on the wall.

This hangs alongside numerous silverware won over the years and row upon row of team pictures from all sports, and souvenirs and mementoes from touring sides. It gives the club a sense of history and hope for the future when a new picture of a more youthful side appears over the bar!.

The club is also very proud of sports people who have gone on to become professional. Top of the tree of course is England and Gloucestershire rugby prop Trevor Woodman, whose career started out as a Liskeard/Looe Junior. But there has also been much success in the football camp. Currently Jon Ashton who left the Blues to join Plymouth Argyle, is playing for Exeter, while other players to move in the past have included Steve Nute (Exeter), and John Brimacombe and Bradley Swiggs (both Argyle).

Clearly Liskeard Sports Club is at the pulsating heart of sport in the area, and anyone who would like to join in the atmosphere only has to apply at the bar for a membership card, which are £3 for adults and £1 for juniors.

The club is open each weekday night from 7pm - 11pm, on Saturdays from 12 noon - 11pm, and on Sunday lunchtimes.