| Dear Members, It was truly heartwarming to see so many of you come together at the recent working party. The spirit of teamwork and community was on full display, and I’d like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who gave up their time to help. It really does make a difference, and it’s lovely to see the club thriving through everyone’s shared effort. A big congratulations to our new Clubhouse Manager, Isla, who is already doing a fantastic job. Already making our club look even better with the additional plants and also the office, with the help of Graham has been cleared out as well! We’re delighted to have her on board and know she’ll continue to be a great asset to the club. Also a special thanks to Tyls for clearing out the cellar, which was much needed. A thank you to Iain Bristow for buying the club a well needed new kettle- really important during our working party with all the hot drinks being made! I hope many of you have had the chance to admire our newly painted courts down on Courts 10 & 11—they’re looking absolutely amazing! Work is also planned for Courts 5 & 6, which will receive the same colour treatment after essential root repairs are completed. We’re looking forward to seeing them looking just as sharp! A special thank you must go to Graham, our Head Coach, and his brilliant team of coaches as well as our amazing Membership Secretary Rob for all their hard work during the last Open Day. Thanks to their efforts—and the buzz around the club—we’re thrilled to welcome some brand-new members who’ve since joined us. Also, thank you to the rest of you that helped hit in with the new members, it was much appreciated! Looking ahead, we’ll soon need a few extra hands again to help with insulating the clubhouse ceiling. We’ll be in touch shortly with dates and details for that. In the meantime, I must say the clubhouse has taken on a rather cosy feel with the ceiling down and the exposed wood adding a certain rustic charm! All this work is leading up to the installation of our brand-new heat pump, which will greatly improve both our heating and air conditioning. It’s an exciting upgrade that will make a big difference to the comfort of our space. On that note, I’d like to take this opportunity to offer our sincere thanks and congratulations to Richard Hirons, who has gone above and beyond in applying for—and successfully securing—multiple grants on behalf of the club. Thanks to Richard, we’ve received funding not only for the heat pump but also a £10,000 grant for solar panels. This initiative is proudly supported by a grant from Dacorum Borough Council as part of their commitment to local climate action. Please look out for the Dacorum Climate Action Network logo on our promotional materials, and join us in making a difference for our community and environment. This will significantly reduce our energy costs and may even allow us to earn some money by selling power back to the grid. Fantastic work, Richard—thank you! Finally, an update on the Padel courts: planning is due to go in at the end of this week. There’s been a short delay of a couple of months due to some unforeseen issues—par for the course with these kinds of projects—but everything has now been resolved, and we’re back on track. Thanks again to everyone who continues to support the club in so many ways. It’s because of you that our community is so vibrant and our future looks so promising. Warm regards, James Droy Chairman | 
