London’s largest LGBTQ+ badminton club celebrated its 50th anniversary last weekend with a tournament featuring players from around the world.
Goslings badminton club hosted the London International at Redbridge Leisure Centre on the weekend of the 16th October featuring around 40 different clubs including groups from as far as Stockholm.
The tournament showcased a high level of badminton and is one of three tournaments the club holds each year for its membership of over 300 players, as well as visiting clubs.
Goslings – whose name stands for “Gay Outdoor Swimming London-ings” – began in 1976 as a High Holborn swimming club, but when double bookings at the public pool left them without a slot, they began playing badminton.
As one of the oldest London clubs of its kind, Goslings has seen significant shifts in rights and attitudes for the LGBT+ community and wants to ensure this never changes.
Co-chair, Oliver Parsons, 40, said: “Goslings has been there through the difficult periods.
“It’s been there when progress has been made and we’re going to be there for another 50 years, providing that safe space for the LGBT+ community.”
As one of Goslings’ longest serving members, Azeem Ahmad, 55, has a unique perspective on how the club has adapted over the years.
He said: “I think previously it was just about trying to create a safe space for queer people, but as time has gone on, where it’s been safer to be queer, what I found is that the minorities within the queer space are the ones that actually need a safe space and the club has recognised that.”
Ahmad credited community and friendship with the club’s longevity.
He said: “I don’t think you can underestimate how powerful the connections in the club are.
“The friendships that develop are really deep and last for years.
“To say it’s just a social club doesn’t feel like that describes it appropriately, it’s deeper than that and the fact that Goslings has been going for so long is a demonstration of that.
“It really is more than just a badminton club.”
Despite the progress seen since the club formed, Goslings recognise that there is always more to be done.
Parsons and his co-chair Nick Fursman, 50, have made inclusion the core issue of their time in charge.
Parsons said: “Me and Nick were elected earlier this year and we wanted to work on what Goslings represents.
“It’s about friendship, community and diversity, which is really important.
“We’ve got a lot of members that are new to the UK and we get people that have been here for decades, so we want to make sure that everyone has that safe space and feels part of our community.
“Our next mission is in terms of gender, we are a male-heavy club, but we are a club that’s for the whole LGBT+ community, so we want to look at how we get more women in as well.”
Fursman added: “We wanted to have a focus on DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) and our values to ensure that the club continued to offer the opportunities that we had when we first joined.”
But while community is at the core of Goslings, badminton is by no means an after thought.
Goslings tournament lead, Matt Towner, spent the last eight months organising the London International, which is one among a circuit of around 20 to 30 different international tournaments that the club takes part in.
He said: “Each year we have a summer tournament, the international tournament and the christmas tournament and it’s a great way for us to bring the community together, but also have a competition element as well.”
Throughout the year Towner helps arrange for Goslings players to travel and compete in international tournaments in places like Germany, France, Denmark and Malaysia.
Parsons stressed that all the work that goes into Goslings is down to volunteers.
He said: “It’s all voluntary work, and people have put in a lot of time.
“There’s a lot of people involved and everyone comes together, and I think that sense of community and giving back is really important.”
Volunteers put together five nights during the week across London, as well as socials at pubs, board game nights and country walks.
Abhishek Kulkarni has been a member of Goslings for less than a year, but stressed the impact the club has already made in his life.
He said: “I came here not knowing anyone and within less than a year have made some really good friends.
“Playing badminton at this club is one way for you to remain present, so as well as physical health, this club helped me a lot with my mental health.”
Featured image credit: Michael Spry
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