Representatives of Lanchester Lawn Tennis Club were excited to attend the annual Durham & Cleveland Tennis LTA Awards held at Hardwick Hall Hotel on Saturday the first of February.

A whole host of awards were presented for clubs, coaches, players, schools, universities, and of course volunteers. There were lots of very deserving nominations and winners, so we were extremely proud when our very own “Tennis Dennis” won the Harry & David Thomas meritorious Award 2025 - in recognition of outstanding service to the game of tennis.

For readers who don’t know Dennis…here’s a snippet from the nomination submission: “For over 30 years, Dennis has been the life and soul of Lanchester Lawn Tennis Club. Dennis has worked relentlessly to ensure the success of the club. He is affectionately known in the village as “Tennis Dennis” as he has taught many of the children in the village how to play - some of whom are now adult members of LLTC. It is without doubt that Dennis has done a great job of encouraging the next generation to play tennis. In addition to being the secretary and face of LLTC, Dennis has worked tirelessly behind the scenes, putting into practice his lawn-keeping skills for three decades to ensure access to impeccable grass courts for all players. Dennis has kept the club going through hard times, dealing swiftly with storm damage to the clubhouse, and the other challenges that have arisen during his 30 years of leadership. And in addition to all of this, Dennis has sought to secure the best possible resources for LLTC, seeking funding and resources to provide the best facilities for club members. Dennis quite simply is LLTC, the club is what it is because of his tireless work for the last 30 years”.

Well done Dennis, another award for the trophy cabinet!!