Latest News Headlines
The 2025/26 Cup Draw was completed last night in preparation for the Fixtures meeting scheduled for 11.08.2025. With 17 teams in the League; a preliminary round was required where Independents will play the newly formed Rossendale Racquets week commencing 10.11.2025. Round 1 is scheduled to be played week commencing 01.12.2025 and the full draw is on Cups page.
New clubs join League - The newly formed Rossendale Ladies only group are entering a team for the 2025/26 season the Rossendale Badminton League and will be known as Rossendale Racquets. There is also, St Phillips entering with 2 teams, where it is hoped their second team introduces some of our promising juniors into the adult league.
Trio of Teams Proudly Represent Rossendale - See Juniors & Safeguarding page
The 2025/26 Fixtures will be on Fixtures Page following 11/08/25 meeting.
Our History
Established in 1953, Rossendale is a friendly, competitive two division league with 9 clubs running 17 teams, many with open-door practices throughout the season. Playing in venues as far reaching as Blackburn and Burnley, the league prides itself on its pro-active, inclusive approach and has recently received congratulations from its governing body, Badminton England, and county.
The Rossendale Badminton League is very proud of its heritage. In 2023 they presented their President, Peter Wood, a legendary Lancashire player and coach, with his own book, as a thank you for all he has done for badminton in Rossendale. ‘Not Bad For A Lad From Haslingden’ is a collection of photos and comments from the many players Peter has competed against and coached during his amazing career. A print out of Peter’s book was donated to the Haslingden library and can be found in its local heritage folder.
In addition to organising league matches and social badminton practices, RBL also run a popular Junior practice, led by the league’s Junior Coach, Yong Chen, a Level 2 coach, and Level 1 BAE assistant coaches: Nigel, Claire and Arif. The courts at The Adrenaline are positively buzzing from 9-10am on Sunday mornings with primary age players, leading into a 10-11:30am session for secondary age youngsters. Following their successful Lancashire spacehive bid two years ago, the Rossendale Juniors now have a real identity and community presence, entering local badminton tournaments in Colne and Greater Manchester.
Following the lead from the new county Chair, Graham Holt, Rossendale is continuing its focus on introducing young players into their clubs and matches. They have a Safeguarding and Welfare Policy, checked by Badminton England and Active Lancashire, which is annually reviewed at their AGM. Welfare Officers have been appointed for the league, along with a Safeguarding lead, all of which is prominently advertised on their website which is kept up to date.
Finally, to encourage more females to take up the sport in a safe and welcoming environment, the Rossendale Badminton League successfully ran a Ladies’ Only badminton group in Haslingden at St Peter’s Community Hall. The Ladies’ Only group has over 40 members and continues to meet once a week on Fridays, from 7-9pm, with racquets and shuttles provided by the league. Since its inception 12 months ago, the league has stepped back from the running of this and their new recruits to the league, Rossendale Racquets, formed from the initial group of ladies, has now taken over ownership of the Friday sessions.
Rossendale Badminton League is very much part of the community in Rossendale. The Juniors have participated in the Helmshore Scarecrow Trail, the Waterfoot Wakes’ Parade and the league painted a chess piece for the This Here Festival, displayed at Stubbylee Park. They take pride in being pro-active in the community and have a regular weekly column in the Rossendale Free Press to help publicise what they are doing.
Rossendale Badminton League was founded in the 1953/54 season, but the earliest records available are from the 1957/58 season. In that season there were 12 teams in the league. Unfortunately, none of those 12 teams have survived to the present day. The league continued to operate with teams joining and teams resigning from the league. In the early 70’s the league went into decline with only 5 teams in the league in the 1971/72 season.
Worse was to follow in the 1972/73 season when the league was close to finishing. Only four clubs - St Phillips, St Pauls, Blackthorn and Haslingden were in the league. Adverts were placed in the local paper and shop windows advertising for teams to join the league. In September of 1972 it was decided to continue the league with three new teams entering. In 1974 one of the league’s best-known characters, Tony Frost, took over as league secretary and, with George Green the Chairman, the league began to grow again.
Tony liked all the players to wear proper Badminton attire; his countless run ins with Ian Taylor from St Phillips who played in his black and blue striped ratting hat and jumper (not white!) were infamous. By the 1977/78 season, the teams had risen to 27 and a third division was started. A further year on and the league had grown to four divisions with 34 teams 1980/81 season.
Tony Frost took over as Chairman and Jim Riding then became the league secretary. Illness during the season, however, forced Jim to step down and George Bristow stepped into the breach on a temporary basis: 42 years later, George made the decision to retire as secretary!
Peter Wood, whose father was a founder of the league, became the league President and, with Tony Frost as Chairman and George Bristow as secretary, the league continued to flourish for over twenty years. At its height, the league had 4 divisions with ten teams in each division. In the 1996/97 season, however, the league went down to three divisions, and, five years later, the decision was taken to drop to just two divisions, at which it currently remains.
The sad loss of Tony Frost in 2004 brought Steve Ramsbottom into the Chairman's seat. The return to badminton after the Covid outbreak led to the retirements of four of the Management Committee: George Bristow, Steve Ramsbottom, Steve Bayes and Betty Bayes, who are now Honorary members.
There are currently seventeen teams in the Rossendale league, contesting the two divisions with a popular Junior badminton session run on a weekly basis.