Forest Row Lawn Tennis Club

Please read this information sheet to ensure that you are aware of everything that the club has to offer as well as our few rules and regulations.

The tennis club is one of the four clubs that form the Sports Ground Association, a registered charity with trustees from the clubs, the Parish Council, the Royal British Legion, and other interested people from the village. The Association manages the Memorial Pavilion and sports/recreation ground under a licence from the Parish Council while the Parish Council receives a licence from the Conservators of Ashdown Forest, as the ground forms part of the Forest. The 5-acre ground was originally reserved for the playing of cricket and other games under the Ashdown Forest Act of 1885. The tennis club, founded in the early 1950s, manages, maintains and refurbishes the courts from its funds.

All members must read and agree to the club's Constitution. By accepting a membership, a member confirms his or her agreement.

The club is open to players of any standard and any age. Membership runs from 1 April to 31 March, and any member who has not paid by 21 April will cease to be a member. Reduced half year membership is available from 1 September. For membership subscriptions, please go to clubspark.lta.org.uk/ForestRowLawnTennisClub and click on Membership.

The Membership Secretary will post each member a shoe tag as proof of membership. Please wear it. Committee Members will ask anyone on court not wearing a shoe tag to proof their membership.

For those who play to a reasonable standard, there are three club sessions every week when mixed doubles are normally played. We welcome any new member wishing to play at these club sessions to attend three times after which two committee members decide whether you should be invited to continue to play at club sessions. The club sessions are held on: -

• Sunday mornings 10.00 am - 1.00 pm approx.
• Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6.00 pm

Floodlights are used for evening club sessions during the winter months. Members are asked to contribute £1 each session towards the cost of floodlighting.

Floodlights are available for use on all three courts for the period 1 September to 30 April. They are controlled by meters which are operated by £1 coins and can be found inside the clubroom. Each £1 coin provides 15 minutes duration of lighting. Please note lighting cannot be used outside of these months.

Courts can be booked using the club’s online booking system. Courts may not be booked during club sessions or during club organised activities. You can book up to 14 days in advance. You can book no more than 4 bookings in 7 days and no more than 4 half hour slots per booking. Only senior, student and junior members aged 16 and over may book any court. Juniors under 16 may book court 1. The other courts may only be booked for juniors under 16 for the purpose of receiving professional coaching or junior inter-club matches.

The club owns a Tower Ball Machine for use by all members. For security purposes the machine is kept in a locked room opposite the internal door to the main pavilion. The key is kept in a coded security box on the wall. Please telephone David Gray - 07986 710631 for the code in the first instance, or any committee member. The cost of using the ball machine is £2 per hour. Please complete a payment slip which can be found on the window sill then deposit both slip and money into the wall safe BEFORE using the ball machine. Further information on the use of the ball machine can be found on the back of the storeroom door and with the ball machine. Junior members under age 16 are not permitted to use the ball machine unless fully accompanied by an adult.

Unless they are having coaching, Junior members under age 16 can use the courts whenever they are free but must give way to Senior and Student members. Older members are asked to be reasonable when requesting Juniors to leave - allowing them to finish games, or suggesting they double up on a court. It is hoped that Juniors will make use of the time immediately after school and the school holidays when the courts should be fairly free.

JUNIOR MEMBERS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE ARE NOT PERMITTED TO HOLD KEY FOBS

For safety reasons, no children are permitted on the courts unless they are actually playing tennis.

Our club is committed to:

• prioritising the well-being of all children and adults at risk
• promoting safeguarding in our club at all times
• aiming to create a safe, secure and enjoyable environment for all, and
• responding appropriately to all safeguarding concerns/disclosures.

All coaches using the courts at our club have to abide by the LTA safeguarding requirements and this is enforced by the club. This is required in order to support the club in providing a welcoming and safe environment for all children and young people and in the implementation of its child protection policy and procedures.

For further information please contact our Welfare Officer Kate Bryant on 01342 824772 or 07572 286 686  or katembryant@btinternet.com.

The Committee would like to remind all members that all the relevant documentation and contact details are available online at our website. Search on Forest Row Lawn Tennis Club and then click on Info Sheet or click here.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy

Our club is dedicated to encouraging a supportive and inclusive culture amongst and between all the members, club teams and club officials. The Club strives to promote diversity and eliminate discrimination in the club to ensure that all members whatever their ability can have full enjoyment of their membership and reach their full potential.

Our club aims to ensure that all club members are treated equally and fairly. This equality and diversity policy is fully supported by all club officials and has been fully agreed by the Committee. This policy will be monitored and reviewed annually to ensure that equality and diversity is continually promoted in the club.

You can find the club’s privacy policy, setting out how we treat your personal data, on our website.

Coaching is run by George Ross of Ross Tennis, a very professional and motivated coach. He runs junior coaching sessions on Wednesday and Friday afternoons/early evenings during the summer and winter (under floodlights) and hold junior coaching camps during the Easter and summer holidays.

Senior coaching is available in groups or individually. For those of you wishing to get back into the game, Ross Tennis runs occasional Rusty Racquets courses for improvers. Look on the website of Ross Tennis for coaching programmes on offer. You can also obtain more details from our notice boards, or by calling George Ross on 07920 779386.

Our website has information about the club, news, a membership page, plus information on coaching, all of which will be updated to help keep you informed. You can also book a court via this website.

For those members who play to a higher standard, we are always keen to enlist new team players to represent the club in Weald League matches. So, if you think you have got what it takes and are keen to play for the club, please contact one of our match captains listed below.

All adult members are expected to participate in the cleaning rota. A rota will be circulated to all members informing them which week they have been allocated. Leaf blowers, brooms, vacuum cleaner, dusters, bucket and cleaning equipment can be found in the cupboard. Ear defenders and protective glasses can be found on top of the safe for protection whilst using the blowers. A member of the committee will telephone you a week beforehand with a gentle reminder and suggestions of what needs to be done.

PLEASE NOTE, DOGS ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE CLUBROOM

Members may bring visitors. Senior or Student Members who bring a visitor pay £5 per visitor, Junior Members who bring a visitor pay £2 per visitor. Each visitor is allowed to play three times in a season with a member. This is deducted from their subscription if the visitor subsequently joins.

Please pay your visitor's fee online to Forest Row Lawn Tennis Club: sort code 30-92-92, account 00100971 or by completing a payment slip which can be found on top of the wall safe and deposit your visitor's fee and slip into the safe.

Tea, coffee and powdered milk is available in the clubroom if you would like to make yourself a hot drink.

PLEASE WASH, DRY AND PUT AWAY ALL CROCKERY AFTER USE.

There are no strict rules about dress other than during club sessions when it is requested that players wear recognisable sports clothing. However, at all times the correct footwear (no ridged trainers) is essential to preserve the surface of the courts.

Tennis balls can be bought from Alan Ennis at £6.50 a can of four balls. Please pay online to Forest Row Lawn Tennis Club sort code: 30-92-92, account number: 00100971 and mention "tennis balls".