World Squash Day Auction to take place 3rd to 10th October
By JAMES ROBERTS – Squash Mad Correspondent
The staging of this year’s World Squash Day, due to take place on Saturday October 10, is set to be different due to the COVID-19 Pandemic sweeping the globe. However, one element of World Squash Day that remains immune from the grip of the virus and able to proceed unhindered is the World Squash Day Auction.
Taking place alongside World Squash Day since 2016, the World Squash Day Auction has raised thousands of pounds for a variety of good causes through auctioning memorabilia signed by current and past PSA World Tour stars.
These good causes have included Unicef UK, the Sumner Malik appeal, Bronglais Hospital Chemotherapy Unit via the John Batty Tournament and last year the PSA Foundation, the charitable arm of the PSA Word Tour.
This year, the Auction is teaming up with two great causes, firstly the PSA Foundation ‘We Are One’ Fund, which is supporting professional squash players who are experiencing both financial and emotional difficulties due to the impact of the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic.
Sharing the Auction proceeds will be the World Squash Library, founded and run by former WSA Chief Executive, Andrew Shelley. The Library has been initiated as an independent ‘not-for-profit’ organisation to ensure that the books, magazines, championship programmes and other information can be brought together in one place to be freely available for current players, media, federations, students – anybody who wants information on the long or near past of the sport.
The Auction has once again brought together an amazing set of unique and collectable signed lots, including:
• Ali Farag’s Warwick/Kenilworth 2019-20 Premier Squash League team shirt, signed by his teammates and an array of opposing players, plus the man himself of course.
• 305 SQUASH Daryl Selby signature shirt as used by the player and signed by him.
• Pair of Black Knight eyewear signed by the player who is leading the way in encouraging players to wear eye protection, Daryl Selby.
• Squash ball used at this year’s Canary Wharf Classic, signed by Ali Farag
• Canary Wharf Classic 2020 programme, signed by Ali Farag.
• Dunlop sports cap/hat signed by PSA men’s and women’s presidents, Ali Farag and Sarah-Jane Perry
• Nick Matthew signed autobiography, Sweating Blood: My Life in Squash.
• Behind The Glass, the 2019-20 PSA World Tour Photobook by PSA Photographer Nathan Clarke – signed by a selection of players at the Manchester Open.
This year, the Auction will be taking place via eBay, starting 8pm (GMT+1) on Saturday 3rd August and running for seven days to finish at 8pm on World Squash Day itself, Saturday 10th October.
Details of all lots and regular bidding updates will also be posted via the World Squash Day Auction social media channels – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WSDAuction, Twitter: https://twitter.com/WSDAuction.
Please like and follow the above to obtain the eBay links to the lots and follow the auction’s progress.
This is a great opportunity to potentially own some amazing squash collectables, all whilst contributing to the PSA Foundation’s efforts to support the players through the Coronavirus Pandemic, as well as those of the World Squash Library to preserve the game’s heritage.
This year, there will be a further Auction taking place after World Squash Day, involving more ‘retro’ lots, including items signed by some of the former greats from the game and some items from the World Squash Library’s own collection. Further details of this will be announced soon.
World Squash Day is already partnering with 305 Squash to raise funds for the We Are One campaign, with all profits from WSD T-shirts going to the project.
Shirts are on sale here: https://305squash.com/collections/world-squash-day-2020
Sales of special World Squash Day I-Masks have also led to donations of Face Shields adapted for medical use being donated to a number of health care providers across the world.
Full details: https://www.worldsquashday.net/2020/08/13/help-our-health-heroes-and-win-i-mask-prizes-in-world-squash-day-selfie-competition/
Pictures courtesy of James Roberts / World Squash Day