40% of households in the Borough of Gravesham live in relative poverty, with deprivation largely concentrated in the north of the borough including parts of Gravesend (https://www.gravesham.gov.uk/communityprofile).

More than 15,000 Sikhs live in Gravesham, making up 15% of its population. They have typically never engaged with tennis (https://www.gurunanakdarbar.org/projecto-1).

Gravesend has the largest Gurdwara (Sikh temple) in Europe, Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara. Gravesham LTC, supported financially by Kent Tennis, began an initiative to encourage the Sikh community to enjoy tennis by engaging with the Gurdwara’s Head of Sport.  The club participated in the colourful Vaisakhi Festival in April 2024, which attracts 10,000 visitors. The club distributed flyers and community members were signed up for the club’s Open Day in May. The flyer featured a young Sikh role model who has achieved great success as a player at club level.  80 new contacts were established.

A large number of the Sikh community attended the Open Day with 19 of them subsequently taking up the offer of free coaching – many were women and girls. The club additionally gave those attendees free access to what are otherwise pay & play adult beginners coaching and junior coaching courses.

In July the club hosted an adult beginner social tournament, which included Sikhs. By the end of August the club had 19 adult and 20 junior members from the Sikh community in their programme, many are now club members.

Thanks to the scheme’s success, Balwinder Singh Cheema from the Gurdwara has taken the first part of his LTA Level 1qualification, with a view to opening up tennis further in the community.

The club will attend the 2025 Vaisakhi Festival to build on its success.