Goring Tennis Club
Goring Tennis Club is governed by our Club Rules which set out the formal arrangements for the organisation of the Club.
The Club Bye Laws lay down the guidelines for the day to day operation of the Club.
The Club is run by volunteers most of whom sit on the main committee or the junior committee. Other volunteers either support the committee members or act within subgroups to provide advice to the committee or to undertake a specific task (eg the kitchen refurbishment).
Club History
The Club was set up in 1968 following a number of years where some enthusiastic players from Goring had played on courts hired in Upper Basildon and later at Mapledurham Club.
The Club was formally founded in its current location in 1973, when the group using the Mapledurham Club arranged with the Goring Parish Council to contribute towards the improvement of the existing courts on the Sheepcot Recreation Ground and to rent them for fixed times from the council on an annual basis.
This was not a very satisfactory arrangement for the Club, which had some difficulty in building up the membership with these limited facilities. The annual renewal meant that there was little incentive for the club to make any long term investment in improving the facilities.
In 1983 a longer 14 year lease was negotiated with the Council and agreement reached that we could resurface three of the courts and renew the nets and the surrounds at our own expense.
The Club raised the money and in 1984, under the Chairmanship of Brian B, this work was carried out.
Towards the end of that lease, prolonged negotiations took place with the Parish Council for an even longer 25 year lease and permission to add a further court, re-lay all the courts, renew the fencing and add floodlighting for two of the courts. When this was agreed, it took a further two years to raise the funds including a grant from the Lottery via the Sports Council, which raised the total funding to £86,000. The 25 year lease came into effect on 27th August 1996.
The Clubhouse was added in 2003 and was refurbished in 2016.
Volunteers
Our Club is run by volunteers from the members who give their time and skills to run the Club for the membership.
If you are interested in volunteering to help in any way please contact the Chairman at chairman@goring-tennis.co.uk.
Some of our volunteers take positions on the Committee, see their roles and responsibilities here. Other volunteers either assist committee members in their roles or provide support in sub groups to work on a specific issue (eg the group that refurbished the Clubhouse in 2016).
Other volunteer positions which help the Club run include:-
- Trustees - we have two
- The junior committee
- Welfare officer
- Team captains
Benefits of Volunteering
In addition to helping the Club run effectively our committe members are given an improved chance of winning the opportunity to buy tickets in our Wimbledon draw. Members who hold committee positions for 5 years also become eligible for life membership at 80. If you are interested in joining the committee please downolad the nomination form here and return it to the Club Chairman at chairman@goring-tennis.co.uk.
Trustee Responsibilities
- Ensure good governance of the Club including compliance with its governing document [Club Rules], and any restrictions on spending limits
- Ensure assets of the club are only used to support or carry out the club’s purpose
- Oversee general activities of the Committee including financial management
- Signatory to Legal documents including Lease Agreement with Goring Parish Council