{"id":411,"date":"2025-12-17T14:56:48","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T14:56:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/katy-woods\/?p=411"},"modified":"2025-12-17T15:17:24","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T15:17:24","slug":"badminton-the-best-social-sport-at-newcastle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/katy-woods\/2025\/12\/17\/badminton-the-best-social-sport-at-newcastle\/","title":{"rendered":"Badminton – The best social sport at Newcastle?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In its first year, the Newcastle University Social Badminton<\/a> Society already stands at 230 members, a number that even shocked its committee.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were worried that we wouldn\u2019t sell out but we got to the point that it was crashing the student union website\u201d said there secretary Natasha Witton, a 2nd<\/sup> year student at Newcastle University.  <\/p>\n\n\n

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Newcastle University Social Badminton Society logo; Image credit: Newcastle University Social Badminton Society<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The society was started this year by a group of 2nd<\/sup> year law students who \u201crealised there was sort of a gap in the market, because there was only competitive badminton and there wasn\u2019t anything if you just wanted to play more relaxed\u201d, said the secretary.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The president of the society, Robyn Hearn said that the society was therefore set up \u201cfor people to just meet and chat and just play a bit of badminton.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group meet twice a week, from 6.15pm to 7.15pm every Wednesday and Friday at a price of \u00a32 per session, on top of a \u00a35 yearly membership.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The committee said that all equipment is provided at the location, Newcastle High School for Girls<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked why she would recommend the society,\u00a0president\u00a0Robyn Hearn said that she thinks that \u201cbadminton\u2019s a really easy sport to get into\u201d,\u00a0describing it as \u201cbest for beginners.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It’s best for beginners really, if people want to get into a sport of any kind.”<\/p>Robyn Hearn, president<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The welfare officer, Leah Prior, also said that she thinks it is \u201creally easy to make friends here because we just put people on random court and you just get chatting to whoever you play with.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Members of the society echoed the committee’s comments too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2nd<\/sup> year member Grace Coom-Gollop said that \u201cit\u2019s nice to just come and do something on a Friday where you know it\u2019s just for a little bit of exercise at the end of the week.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said that \u201cI would recommend it to anybody to be honest… I think it\u2019s really nice if you\u2019re looking for something to do on a Friday evening, it\u2019s a really nice thing to come and join.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The committee identified\u00a0the society more with being a society than a sports club because \u201cit\u2019s just a lot more relaxed environment compared to the sport societies\u201d,\u00a0said their\u00a0president\u00a0Robyn Hearn.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their secretary Natasha added to Robyn\u2019s comments, and said that \u201cthere\u2019s no commitment\u201d to the society where there ordinarily would be with a sports club. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 With the society you simply pay and attend \u201cas and when you want to come.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n

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Members playing badminton; Image credit: Katie Thompson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

They also maintain their society status with a \u201cmix of relaxed socials and other socials\u201d, their secretary Natasha said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These socials include occasional sports night attendances, a pub quiz and a pool and darts social, to name a few.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more relaxed approach to socials is appreciated by members of the society like Grace Coom-Gollop who said that \u201cI quite like the fact, like when we did the quiz yesterday, it was really lowkey and really chill. So, I don\u2019t mind, for me personally, not having too many Wednesday socials.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Members of the society who I spoke to reported no criticisms. Instead, the feedback seemed to be overwhelmingly positive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grace Coom-Gollop for example said that \u201cI think the way that they\u2019ve run it, I think they\u2019ve done so well, considering it\u2019s like, it\u2019s first year.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The only real challenge I’ve found with it is just simply… trying to get tickets when there’s been a big influx of people.”<\/p>Grace Coom-Gollop, member<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The only challenge reported by Grace was the struggle to \u201cget tickets when there\u2019s been a big influx of people.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the committee also acknowledged this challenge. The secretary of the society, Natasha, said that the demand for tickets got so high that \u201cit was crashing the student union website.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said that the committee dealt with this issue by adding extra dates to their social calendar, increasing their originally once-a-week badminton sessions to twice-a-week.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Memberships for the Newcastle University Social Badminton Society are available on the NUSU<\/a> website for all Newcastle University students.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visit my Instagram here:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n