Older readers will remember Ray Venning, a life member of Avon LTA. Others will remember sending postcards of league results for him to record throughout the eighties.
He learned his tennis in his native Cornwall. After the war his career in the bank took him to Weston, where he played at the Winter Gardens and at the Grand Atlantic Tennis Club.
Moving to Bristol in 1957 he joined the Y.M.C.A. club on Golden Hill. After two seasons he joined The Bristol Lawn Tennis & Squash Club, where he found the ideal grass court setting for his swinging serve and sliced backhand. He served on club committees for many years and helped out at the pre Wimbledon event The West Of England Championships.
His playing career was cut short by a hip injury in his late 60s. He was honoured to be club president in the 1990s.
He was one of those people who contributed a great deal to the game behind the scenes. Before the computer age Ray would spend hours recording Avon League results and patiently keeping captains informed about current standings.
He continued to follow tennis and Plymouth Argyle until his death.