Newsletter 45                                      December 2022

We hope you are all enjoying playing on the new surface.    November certainly tested its drainage qualities but we have had some very enjoyable tennis at recent mix-ins and welcomed two new members.  The most important and welcome news is that the annual dinner will be making its post-Covid return – details below – but we are also begin to plan for the 2023 season.

Club Dinner.  The dinner will be on Friday 3 February at 7.30pm at the Durleigh Marsh Tea Barn.  All members and spouses/partners are welcome to what has always been a friendly, enjoyable occasion, enlivened by a very light-hearted quiz.  There is an enticing menu – see below – and the  cost will be £30 for three courses or £24 for two – drinks extra - payable on the night.  Dinner jackets are not required.

Starters: Tomato and Red Pepper Soup/Baked Ham hock pot with Cornbread/Fig and goats cheese bruschetta 

Main Course: Beef Bourguignon/ Coq au vin/Mushroom and leek pie (with dauphinois potatoes and seasonal veg)

Dessert: Brownies with salted caramel ice cream/Lemon and ginger cheesecake/Sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream ice cream. 

If you would like to come, you please e-mail Alison Grange at alisongrange551@gmail.com                      to reserve your place(s) by 23 December.   If you are ready to indicate your menu preferences that would also be helpful, but  we will confirm final details, including menu choices, in January.  Hope to see you there.

Plans for 2023.   We hoping to begin the new season by reviving two very successful pre-Covid events.  We are planning a Family Day (tentatively set for 22 April, to avoid school holidays).  This will be open to non-members and will probably involve an adult/child competition – similar to the Red Ball events that the LTA used to run and other activities – hopefully including a bouncy castle.  Families, put the date in your diaries.  We also hope to organise some free Rusty Rackets group coaching from Richard Hopp at the start of the season – more details in due course.

New lease.   Finalising a new lease has taken longer than hoped or expected but we are almost there.  All is now agreed and the documents are being signed, but it will probably take a little longer to secure Charity Commission endorsement (necessary because the Village Hall and Recreation Ground Charity have agreed to grant us a 30 year lease).

And finally, The Committee wishes all our members and families a Happy Christmas and best wishes for 2023.

Amanda Farren, Chair

                                                                                                                          Richard Hatfield, Secretary