The Atlas Laboratory was one of the smallest of the SRC Laboratories but there was still a keen interest in a range of sports and an attempt to enter teams at the Annual SRC Sports Day. Some sports such as football, cricket and table tennis had regular teams that competed in local leagues.
The Chilton site had lunch time leagues for rounders and football that the Laboratory participated in and occasionally won. There was an evening league for cricket which had an Atlas team most years. Tennis was played regularly by quite a few staff members and the mixed doubles partners, Lorna Green and Mike Claringbold, eventually got married!
The Atlas Laboratory Table Tennis Team performed in the local Didcot and District table Tennis League for most of the Laboratory's life winning both the Handicap Cup and the Second Division title.
The Annual SRC Sports Day resulted in quite a few ad-hoc teams being set up just for the occasion. The hockey team was one of these and even had the distinction of winning the trophy. The Laboratory netball team always performed well at these events.
The complete set of Clubs/Societies that formed part of the AERE Recreational Association around 1974 were:
| Club/Society | Secretary | Bldg No |
|---|---|---|
| Angling | Mack | R25 |
| Apprentice's Assoc | P Whatley | H9 |
| Archery | K I Archer | 521 |
| Art | D Warren | 10.5 |
| Badminton | R K Dawson | 393 |
| Bar Billiards | L Cooke | R20 |
| Bridge | Parker | 551 |
| Building Group | R J Moulton | 353 |
| Caledonian Society | D O Cassie | 424 |
| Camera | R J Francis | 393 |
| Camping/Touring Society | L S Evans | 220 |
| Chess | J C Waldron | 10.5 |
| Christian Fellowship | R Dawson | 351 |
| Cricket | D Campbell | 10.5 |
| Croquet | M J Moreton-Smith | 220 |
| Dramatic Society | R Paddock | 8.12 |
| Everywoman's | H Palmer | 10 |
| Film Society | A Logsdail | 353 |
| Football | B Windsor | 525 |
| Football (Ladies) | A Streeton | Lloyd's Bank |
| Go | D Wilmore | 8.9 |
| Golfing Society | F Bevan | 424 |
| Handbell Change Ringing Society | D Lawson | 551 |
| Hockey | J A C Marples | 220.22 |
| Horticultural Society | R S Brabben | R20 |
| Judo | D Baker | R8 |
| Model | J F F Smith | 424 |
| Motor | E A Evans | 393.6 |
| Philatelic Society | R Huber | 351 |
| Research Group Retirement Fellowship | A E Dennard | B.166 |
| Rifle & Pistol | G Biddle | 33 |
| Rugby | C Bartlett | 146 |
| Six-a-Side Soccer | T E Hilton | 351 |
| Squash | J Myatt | 152 |
| Staff Club B Residents Assoc | R Parkes | R1 |
| Table Tennis | R Liquorish | 10.2 |
| Tennis | B Greenfield | 220 |
| Toc H Group | A Shepherd | 424 |
| Weight-Training | R Coleman | 424| |
| Yoga | M Bennett | 552 |
| Roman Catholic Society | E B Fossey | Atlas |
| Recreational Association | C R Hutchins | 161 |
| Social Club Chairman | A R Dowgill | 161 |
| Head Groundsman | G Debuse |
