Tennis Club Make It A Day With The Stars

A team of 8 players from Chatteris St. Peter's Tennis Club enjoyed a very special day in London on Saturday  17th Feb 2018 at the GB National Tennis Centre, competing with former GB Tennis stars in a 24 hour sponsored Tenniasathon.

The Team from Chatteris represented all ages and abilities of membership at the Club from: Lucy Thompson aged 11 to Judith Grounds, one of several members at the Club still playing each week, all year round, in their 70’s. They were encouraged and supported by over 20 members, family and friends who travelled to the event.

Chatteris Tennis Club, currently, Cambridgeshire Tennis Club of the Year, were one of only 8 clubs invited from over 4000 nationally to participate.

The Event was organised by Bright Ideas for Tennis, a charity set up and run by former GB Davis Cup Tennis Player, Danny Sapsford, to assist clubs seeking to raise funds to enhance the facilities and opportunities for their local communities.

Chatteris, which prides itself on being a family friendly club offering healthy, social and competitive sport at affordable prices for all, is currently seeking to raise £25,000. Supported by match funding from Cambs LTA, it aims this year to convert its 2 limited seasonal use grass courts to hardcourts, to double its provision of courts suitable for all year around use.

Over the last 3 years the Club has achieved spectacular growth: Membership & league team entries have doubled, coaching provision for children from aged 5 and for adults together with court usage have trebled. The demand for its provision continues to grow enhanced by “Come & Try It for Free” Open Days held each year.

Each member of the Tennisathon team: Lucy Thompson, Simon Grainger, Shona Kent, Anthony Finch, Angela Whitehead, John Freeman, Andrew Fox and Judith Grounds were challenged to raise £1000 each in sponsorship. They spectacularly rose to the challenge, smashing their target by raising over £12,500.

The event was the 2nd of 3 events for which the Club has gained the support of Bright Ideas for Tennis. The 3rd takes place on Wednesday 28th Feb 2018 when one the Clubs most active members, Dave Wing takes to the skies over Chatteris in a sponsored Sky Dive in the week that he celebrates his milestone 65th birthday.

Instead of buying him birthday gifts Dave has requested all his family and friends together with anyone wishing to support this community enhancing provision to sponsor him.

The Club anticipate that this event will enable it to commence the expansion of facilities around Eastertime this year.

If you wish to assist the Club, which provides not only for the people of Chatteris, but for the whole of South Fenland including March, Manea, Doddington & Wimblington, you’re invited to visit the Website; https://mydodate.bt.com,click on “Sponsor a Fundraiser”, enter Dave Wing and make a donation.