The Listers of Port Sunlight
Three generations of one family got together over the festive period at Port Sunlight rugby club on the Wirral.
Peter Lister, aged 80, who played 1st team for the club from the age of 15 and then fulfilled the usual variety of roles, from fourth XV captain to fixture secretary en route to becoming President, was at the club to watch his son, Chris, the current Chair, play alongside his two sons, Euan, 18 and Maxim, 20, in the annual Unders v Overs match. Chris, aged 55, was recently called upon to play prop in the first XV, alongside Euan in the back row in a match against Ellesmere Port.
New clubhouse created
Grandfather Peter, who still helps out with admin duties at the club, was an engineer with Lever Brothers, whose works team was the original Port Sunlight RFC. Chris, a commercial manager and the club chair since 2009, helped the club achieve a much-needed new clubhouse in 2020 in a joint venture with Port Sunlight Cricket Club.
This saw him liaise with the local council over planning permission, obtain finance from a number of grant providers including Sport England and the ECB, with assistance the RFU and Cheshire RFU. He was also part of the team that oversaw the design, build and fitting out of the premises.
Once the new clubhouse opened, Chris formed a link with the local Wirral Grammar School, attended by his son, the school now using the pitches and facilities when their own pitches are not playable. They are also links with South Wirral High School and Sunlight’s ‘Sirens’ girls rugby teams.
Still called up to firsts
Currently Port Sunlight are rebuilding age grade rugby and have girls playing at U13, 15 and 18. Chris, who is also Safeguarding Lead and membership officer, continues to take the call for the 1st team because “When we have six props unavailable I remind myself that I still love the game and on Sunday mornings, when I have managed to roll out of bed, I’m fine!”
With Euan taking A Levels and hoping to study biochemistry at university and Maxim at Aberystwyth University studying Economics, Chris finds his many roles at Port Sunlight and recent coaching of local neighbours Anselmians RUFC U17s rewarding.
“It brings me a lot of enjoyment and even with the struggle of getting two team out on Saturday after the match I’m always in a happy mood.”
He will be a guest at Twickenham’s Guinness Six Nations England v France Test thanks to the Honda Volunteer Recognition Programme, having been nominated by Cheshire RFU for an outstanding contribution to rugby. He will be bringing his long-suffering but supportive wife, Karen, who certainly deserves recognition too.
