The Civil Service Men’s Squash Team arrived at Nottingham Squash Rackets Club with something to prove. After winning the tournament the previous year for the first time in 25 years, we were determined to show that it wasn’t just a one off. Again we managed to field a very strong squad but when we arrived it was apparent that the other teams were also much stronger with several players making their debuts.

It is with sadness that we announce the recent death of Peter Sedding, after a short illness. Peter was an active player and organiser in Civil Service squash for many years, both within the Customs and Excise department where he worked and the national Civil Service CSSC Squash Rackets Association.

Once again the Ladies were invited to the Crown Services Tournament. It was to be played at Nottingham Squash Club a top class venue.

Traditionally this tournament was set up for the men from the Crown Services.

This was the Civil Service, Police and Fire Services and an Armed Forces Combined team. In the Ladies Event teams from Police and Combined Services were represented, clearly not enough women fire-fighters as they were unable to produce a team!

The only ladies team managing to field five players the Civil Services Ladies were resplendent in their new orange and black kit. This was the first outing with new strip...........was it to be our lucky kit??

This year's Squash team event took place in Loughborough as part of the third CSSC Games. The No. 1 seeds and defending champions DSRA (Defence) had arrived looking to make it 'three in a row' having won the previous two national squash team events. They were, however, about to be extremely disappointed going out of the main competition in their first match against the Revenue and Customs second team RCSL B. The RCSL B players Andy Robinson, Chris Roberts, Rakesh Bhandari, Kay Dalton and Hilary Craven were rightly elated at the shock result! Alongside them in the draw the composite team of Dstl (Defence Science & Technology Laboratory) crossed swords with DEFRA but were never seriously threatened running out 4-1 winners.

This season's Open Squash Singles Championship held at Nottingham Squash Club, one of the country's premier Squash venues, attracted 40 players from nearly all the far flung corners of Britain including Northern Ireland, South Wales, Devon and Tyneside. The event open to all CSSC members covered all various 'ability' as well as 'age' groupings with some competitors taking the opportunity to enter more than one event!

Heather works for the HMRC - Inland Revenue in Liverpool.

She is the current CSSC Ladies Champion and over 40’s Champion. Also a previous Ladies CSSC Team Captain she is a regular CSSC ladies team player.

This year in particular has seen Heather’s squash reach high levels.

She entered the British Nationals in February where she beat the number 1 and 3 seeds, Mandy Akin and Clare Baker, to reach the final where she lost to Candy Wilton.

Sue Beecroft is the current CSSC Women’s squash Champion and over 40s champion. She is a regular member of the CSSC Womens’ representative squad.

In addition she is the current HASSRA Squash champion a title she has held for the past 5 years.

At club level Sue has won many individual titles and is ranked in the top 5 in Northumbria leagues.

The Centels Salver is awarded to the sportswoman with the best all round achievement in CSSC sport, and for her considerable achievements in 2005, it was awarded to Sue Beecroft.

Sue works for DWP.

Nottingham buzzed recently when dozens of Civil Service squash players of all ages and ability descended on the country's premier Squash Club at Nottingham to take part in the annual Civil Service Open Squash Singles Championships! The aim was to seek out the new Civil Service Men’s and Ladies Champions, including Veterans and Vintage Champions together with a sociable competition for all standards from the top level through to beginners.

For the first time this fixture included Ladies teams which meant an earlier start for all, however I will let the Ladies Team Captain Sian Hughes report on their matches. It was a 3pm start with our first match against the Combined Services Team (the best of the Army, Navy and RAF). They were stronger than in recent years and although we put up a good fight we lost the match by 20 points to 5 (2 matches did go to 5 games, myself and Marc Aldridge). The match between the Police and Fire Service though, turned out to be a bit of a farce. The Police won the first 4 matches easily but as their No1 turned up nearly 3 hours late the match had to be forfeited 20 – 0 to the Fire Service.