On Sunday 28th September Orchard LTC will be holding its 14th Annual Charity Tournament.  Teams of players will compete to win the Stuart West Trophy with the profits raised on the day going to Hertfordshire Mind Network, the club's chosen charity this year.

Hertfordshire Mind Network delivers essential mental health support across Hertfordshire from its eight centres and other locations across the county.  The organisation helps individuals experiencing mental ill health to make choices, find solutions, build resilience and manage their own wellbeing.  It offers opportunities for individuals to get support to enable them to recover from or live with mental ill health.  Each year, it helps around 15,000 people experiencing mental ill health.  Hertfordshire Mind Network is a local Mind, affiliated to national Mind, the leading mental health charity in England and Wales.

Every year this tournament has been a highly successful and very enjoyable event.  I've no doubt it will be the same again this year.  We'll also be inviting Dellcott Tennis Club members to take part in this year's event, whilst their courts are being resurfaced.  There are a number of connections between our two clubs.  Stuart himself had previously been a member of Dellcott.  Also a number of Dellcott members took part in our 2016 Charity Tournament following the sad passing of young player previously a member of both clubs.

If you've not taken part in this event in the past, then please enter . . . it's good fun.

The exact timings of the day will be dependent on the number of participants.  Clearly the more participants the better.  The start time is currently planned to be around 11am, with a finish time between 4.30 and 5.30pm.  Please note that the tournament will go ahead irrespective of the weather.

There are some important details below - please could you read the full email.

The tournament will be a team event, based on the following:

• Players will be divided up into the 4 teams, Kirkwall, Stromness, Birsay and St Marys (towns in the Orkney Islands, where Stuart was born). The teams will be captained by Sue, James and Danielle West and Adam Reid respectively and will be determined promptly after the closing date for entries.
• Prescheduled doubles matches between pairs from the above teams will take place throughout the event.
• Each player will be given their own individual handicap.  The starting score in each game of each match will be based on the combined handicaps of the pairings.
• Each match will comprise exactly 8 games.  Deuces will be played as a single point deuce (in the first 4 games with service from the right, in the last 4 games with service from the left).
• The team which has won the most games during the afternoon will win the tournament. 
• Entry fee £15 per person (£7.50 for juniors) to be paid by cash or card on the day.
• The tournament is open to all adult members (including restricted members) and more experienced juniors.
• Team members and each team's colour will be emailed out to entrants during the days before the event.  Please endeavour to wear your team's colour.

If you would like to enter, please email Dave Wesson at annanddave.wesson@outlook.com (AND NOT THE ORCHARD EMAIL ADDRESS) as soon as possible and no later than midnight on Sunday 21st September.

There will be a cake stall, a raffle and hopefully a BBQ (subject to weather and volunteers).  Importantly we are also looking for volunteers as follows:

• Tea and cake stall organiser & helpers
• BBQ head chef & assistant chefs
• Cake makers
• Raffle organiser and ticket sellers
• Press release writer

Please could you bring along on the day any raffle prizes that you are happy to donate.

There is no reason why volunteers shouldn't also take part in the tennis.  Please could you email me as soon as possible at annanddave.wesson@outlook.com letting me know which of the above you are happy to volunteer for.

Spectators are very welcome indeed, especially any who would be happy to help out with the above.  Also any donations from either spectators or others who are unable to take part will be very gratefully received.

I look forward to hearing from you very soon.